New research on the Med Diet, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, suggests that middle-aged women who follow a
Mediterranean diet* or similar, may increase their lifespan, with better chance of living past the age
of 70, compared with those who did not follow the Mediterranean diet.
Furthermore, they showed no physical disabilities, no signs of cognitive impairment and no signs of mental health problems.
Overall, the healthy agers consumed higher amounts of plant foods, whole grains, and fish or long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. They also consumed less red and processed meat, and they drank less alcohol. The researchers note that these findings may encourage people to follow a healthy diet in order to increase their lifespan and general health. They said:
"We found that greater quality of diet at midlife was strongly associated with increased odds of good health and well-being among individuals surviving to older ages. These data may have an especially important role in promoting a healthy diet. Maintaining physical, cognitive, and mental health with aging may provide a more powerful incentive for dietary change than simply prolonging life or avoiding any single chronic disease."Source: Medical News Today
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/268294.php
* The Med Diet mainly consists of high amounts of plant foods (vegetables and fruits), beans, nuts, cereals and seeds, fish and poultry, and olive oil as the main source of dietary fat.
