Healthy food Brooke Lark via Unsplash
While many of us might think of longevity when we imagine happy ageing, the American Heart Association explained that our “healthspan” might be just as important.
This, Dr Corey Rovzarn from the Stanford Prevention Research Centre said, “means living better, not just longer.” It refers to the number of years someone lives without a disease that negatively affects their quality of life.
In 2023, Age UK found that almost 74% of those aged 65-74 and 86% of people aged over 85 lived with at least one long-term health condition.
But a paper published in Nature Ageing might have found a lifestyle factor that could delay the onset of common chronic illnesses, including neurodegenerative and cardiovascular issues (like heart disease and dementia).
Diet may be key to delaying chronic illness in older age
Researchers at the Ageing Research Centre at the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, followed 2,400+ Swedish people over 15 years.
They had a mean age of just over 71 at the start of the study.
After looking at the health status and lifestyle habits of the participants, the scientists found a link between sticking to healthier diets (like the MIND, AHEI and AMED diets, all of which prioritise fruits, whole grains, fish, nuts, seeds, and veggies) and a delayed onset of chronic illnesses, like dementia and heart disease.
This effect seemed stronger in women and those over 78.
The researchers speculated that this could be because people who have healthier diets may face less constant, low-grade inflammation, which has “been linked to cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric disease”.
Diet did not seem to have an effect on musculoskeletal illnesses, like arthritis.
What should I eat to delay chronic illnesses as I age?
Writing for The Conversation, three of the study’s authors said: “The message is clear: eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and whole grains.
“Choose healthy fats like rapeseed oil and fish. Limit red and processed meats, sugary drinks and solid fats.”
But the researchers stressed that diet is only one factor – socialising, staying active, and access to healthcare all matter too.