A new study shows that people who follow patterns of healthy eating, such as consuming fruits, grains and vegetables, were less likely to die from cancer, cardiovascular or respiratory diseases and neurodegenerative diseases.
New study reveals how your diet can prevent disease
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Longitudinal study evaluates different diets
The study was published in the journal Jama Internal Medicine, and the results reveal that there is more than one way to eat well and get the benefits of food. It's common for people to get bored with one way of eating, but according to research, it's possible to create our own healthy eating patterns. These standards can adapt to our individualities and preferences, our health conditions and even our culture.
That is, if you are used to a certain diet, it is possible that you change or adapt your diet to another style without having a great influence on your health.
Study details
This study followed the eating habits of around 75,000 women and around 44,000 men, over a period of 36 years. None of the participants had cardiovascular disease and very few were smokers. In addition, they were accompanied by forms fed every four years.
One of the diets present in this population was mediterranean, based on fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, fish and lots of olive oil. According to one of the responsible scientists, this dietary pattern is a good source of healthy fats, plant-based foods and low in alcohol.
The other diet present in the study population was plant-based, which focuses on vegetable consumption and reduces consumption of animal meat and alcohol. Also not much dairy products and fish are consumed.
Comparison between the two dietary patterns
After the dietary patterns were scored, the participants were separated into groups, from those with the highest adherence to the diet to those with the lowest adherence. The result found was a reduction in all-cause mortality by about 20% in the group with greater dietary adherence.
In addition, the study also revealed that there was a reduction in death from chronic diseases in people who improved their diet over the years. There was also a 7% reduction in the risk of neurodegenerative disease in these patients, a 6% to 13% reduction in cardiovascular disease, and up to an 18% reduction in the risk of cancer. The most impressive data is the reduction in mortality from respiratory causes, which ranged from 35% to 46% among participants who improved their diet over the years of the study.
Conclusion of the study
The authors end the article concluding that it is never too late to adopt healthier habits or a better diet. They also emphasize the importance of eating more plant-based foods and reducing consumption of red meat, processed foods, sugar and sodium.
