Now that I’m in that period delicately referred to as “midlife,” I’m trying to stay as healthy as possible. That includes a more nutritious diet, avoiding alcohol and exercising regularly.

But sometimes I wonder if these steps are enough to overcome past unhealthy behaviors — particularly a diet that threw caution to the wind when it came to sugar, all the wrong fats, processed foods and alcohol.

What a relief to come across a study that indicates I’m well on the path to overcoming the sins of my youth…

Eating well adds up to long, disease-free living

An international team of researchers examined the midlife diets and eventual health outcomes of 105,000 women and men, aged 39 to 69, from more than 30 years of data gathered in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

The participants regularly filled out dietary questionnaires, and the researchers scored how well participants adhered to the following healthy dietary patterns:

• The Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI)
• The Alternative Mediterranean Index (aMED)
• The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)
• The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND)
• A healthful plant-based diet (hPDI)
• The Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI)
• An empirically inflammatory dietary pattern (EDIP)
• An empirical dietary index for hyperinsulinemia (EDIH)

Each diet emphasizes a higher intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts and legumes. Some also include low to moderate consumption of healthy animal-based foods such as lean meats, fish and certain dairy products.

The researchers also considered the amount of ultra-processed foods the participants reported eating.

When all was said and done, 9,771 participants, or 9.3% of the study population, experienced healthy aging. The researchers confirmed a solid link between adhering to any of the eight healthy dietary patterns and overall healthy aging — with benefits extending to cognitive, physical and mental health.

All the healthy diets scored well, but the AHEI diet, developed to prevent chronic diseases, came out on top. Participants in the highest quintile of the AHEI score had an 86% greater chance of healthy aging at 70 years compared with those in the lowest quintile of the AHEI score. This chance increased 2.2-fold at 75 years.

Not far behind was the PHDI diet, which considers both human and environmental health by emphasizing plant-based foods and minimizing animal-based foods.

The study also confirmed that eating more ultra-processed foods, especially processed meat and sugary and diet beverages, was connected to lower odds of healthy aging.

“Since staying active and independent is a priority for both individuals and public health, research on healthy aging is essential,” says co-corresponding author Marta Guasch-Ferré of the University of Copenhagen. “Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods, with moderate inclusion of healthy animal-based foods, may promote overall healthy aging and help shape future dietary guidelines.”

All healthy diets promote healthier aging

While following the top two diets (AHEI and PHDI) mentioned in the study may give you the best odds of aging healthfully, any of the diets referenced will certainly give you a leg up in that department.

According to the lead author Anne-Julie Tessier of the University of Montreal, “Healthy diets can be adapted to fit individual needs and preferences.”

That means you can even mix and match elements of different diets to suit your preferences and lifestyle best — as long as you follow the golden rule of minimizing ultra-processed foods and added sugars.

For example, I tend to follow a mostly plant-based diet, which is in line with PHDI. However, I do add fish, poultry and low-fat dairy when I’m feeling the need for more protein, which tracks with the aMED diet mentioned in the study. I also eat a lot of dark leafy greens and berries, which dovetails with the MIND diet. I feel like this combination works best for me while keeping me squarely in the realm of healthy eating.

Sources:

Healthy eating in midlife linked to overall healthy aging — ScienceDaily

Optimal dietary patterns for healthy aging — Nature Medicine

Move Over Mediterranean Diet—This Harvard-Designed Diet Was Just Crowned Best for Healthy Aging — Inc.