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A recent study has revealed that adopting a more nutritious diet and maintaining it can potentially increase the lifespan of middle-aged individuals by almost ten years.
A study published in the journal Nature Food this week analyzed health information from approximately 500,000 British individuals, whose dietary patterns were recorded as part of the UK Biobank research.
A total of 467,354 individuals were divided into categories based on their dietary patterns, and their changes over time were monitored by researchers.
The participants were divided into two categories: average and unhealthy eaters, and those who followed the UK’s Eatwell Guide or the “longevity diet” as identified by the researchers.
At the moment, women in the UK can expect to live for approximately 84 years from birth, while men have a life expectancy of 80 years.
The study revealed that individuals who switched from an unhealthy diet to a healthier one and maintained it, along with controlling other factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity, could gain approximately 9 to 10 years in life expectancy by the time they reach 40 years old.
Scientists from the University of Bergen in Norway used data from the UK Biobank to demonstrate that making long-term changes from unhealthy eating habits to following the Eatwell Guide’s dietary recommendations can lead to a significant increase in life expectancy for both 40-year-old males (8.9 years) and females (8.6 years).
According to the researchers, making a long-term shift in diet from unhealthy to patterns associated with longevity can result in a gain of 10.8 years for males and 10.4 years for females in life expectancy within the same population.
According to researchers, the greatest improvements in life expectancy have been observed in individuals who have altered their diets to include a higher intake of whole grains, nuts, and fruits, while reducing their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats.
Individuals who first adhered to a typical diet and subsequently transitioned to a more nutritious eating pattern experienced lesser increases in life expectancy.
According to researchers, as dietary habits become healthier, the potential increase in life expectancy also increases.
According to scientists, there is evidence that life expectancy gains may be smaller if dietary changes are made later in life. However, these gains are still significant.
For example, it is stated that individuals in their 70s can potentially increase their lifespan by 4 to 5 years by maintaining a consistent change in their diet.
Recent research suggests that governmental measures, including implementing health-focused taxes on food, enhancing food environments in schools and workplaces, and providing subsidies to lower the cost of nutritious foods, could potentially lead to better health outcomes in the UK.
The researchers suggest that utilizing the latest calculations on potential increases in life expectancy, policy measures could be implemented to allocate resources towards promoting healthier eating habits for the entire population.
Source: independent.co.uk
