Of >105,000 participants with 30-year follow-up, only 9.3% achieved healthy aging (age 70, w/o any chronic diseases). Their diet was significantly associated with this outcome. @naturemedicine.bsky.social
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This study aimed to examine the association between long-term adherence to different healthy dietary patterns and healthy aging in two large groups of men and women in the United States...
Not critical of this study but what are the chances that the people eating the type of favourable diet also live in between environmental conditions such as Europe.
A healthy diet certainly helps, genetics also plays a part in your health. I ate healthy and exercised right up until a had a very mild heart attack 18 months ago. 4 days later I had quadruple bypass surgery. My dad had 2 heart attacks and 2 bypasses before dying of congenital heart failure at 69.
None of this is surprising, we all know what "healthy foods" are. If you eat a mostly healthy diet, have some junk sometimes, and stay moderately active, what more do you need?
Bottom line: A Mediterranean type diet high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, low fat dairy products, plant-based foods, and reduced sodium, trans fats, animal-based foods, sugary beverages, ultra- processed foods was the optimal pattern. Link https://nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03570-5
Interesting that you skipped Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), which, if I am reading correctly, came out better than the Mediterranean Diet, which was second.
"fast and fried foods" seem to be anomalous in Figure 4--what do you make of the observation that they have a neutral or positive association with measures of healthy aging?
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Breakdown of the paper:
This study aimed to examine the association between long-term adherence to different healthy dietary patterns and healthy aging in two large groups of men and women in the United States...
I would love to continue being vegetarian.
But:
Even the blood capsules don't always work. For heme and ferritin (obviously, you know this, but not everyone reading this message will).
I've been very close to needing a transfusion.
https://bsky.app/profile/erictopol.bsky.social/post/3ll54zcaehs2c
The interesting thing to me is in the middle.
Diary, coffee, wine, tea all more or less neutral