A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Nature Aging, reveals that a healthy diet can slow the development of chronic diseases in older adults.
In contrast, inflammatory diets can speed up the onset of these diseases.
Researchers followed over 2,400 older adults in Sweden for 15 years to observe the effects of different diets on chronic disease development. They studied four types of diets:
Three healthy diets focused on high intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and unsaturated fats, with reduced intake of sweets, red and processed meats, and butter/margarine.
One pro-inflammatory diet emphasized red and processed meats, refined grains, and sugary drinks, with low intake of vegetables, tea, and coffee.
Participants who followed healthy diets experienced a slower build-up of chronic diseases, particularly in areas like cardiovascular health and brain function (e.g., dementia). However, these diets didn’t show much effect on muscle and bone-related conditions.
Those who followed the pro-inflammatory diet were more likely to develop multiple chronic diseases over time.
“Our results show how important diet is in influencing the development of multimorbidity in aging populations,” says Adrián Carballo-Casla, postdoctoral researcher at the Aging Research Centre, Karolinska Institutet.
The researchers plan to identify which specific dietary recommendations can have the most positive impact on longevity. They will also examine which groups of older adults could benefit most, considering factors like age, gender, background, and existing conditions.
MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay): Designed to support brain health and lower dementia risk.
AHEI (Alternative Healthy Eating Index): Measures how well a diet aligns with recommendations for reducing chronic disease risk.
AMED (Alternative Mediterranean Diet): A Western-adapted version of the Mediterranean diet.
EDII (Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Index): Estimates the inflammatory potential of a diet.
The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR) and FORTE. Researchers reported no conflicts of interest.
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The study is published in Nature Aging.
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