Interested in finding out approximately how much longer you might live if you followed a healthier diet for the rest of your life? It’s possible to get an idea from the “Food for healthy life” website – and if you’re under 60 and follow a conventional Western diet, the answer might be anything from a decade to a decade and a half.
Hundreds of studies have been used to compile the information on this page for you. In Norway, according to Lars Fadnes of the University of Bergen, “the predicted life extension is mostly attributable to a reduction in the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.”
To begin, his team looked at recent meta-analyses that looked at the effects of consuming varied amounts of specific food types such as fruits, such as apples. To evaluate the impact of a permanent shift in diet, researchers merged these findings with data on worldwide mortality and what individuals are currently eating.
According to the most recent estimations, a diet planned to maximise the health benefits can increase one’s longevity by as much as a quarter. Eat less red and processed meat, drink less sugar-sweetened beverages, reduce dairy and egg consumption while increasing your intake of legumes, whole grains, and nuts. This is an example of an optimised diet.
Also considered was a “feasibility” diet, which was somewhere in the middle between a regular Western diet and an optimal diet.
A 20-year-old man who permanently shifted from a standard Western diet to the optimum diet would reap the biggest benefits, living an average of 13 years longer and seven years longer if he followed the feasibility diet, according to the research. Female equivalents are 11 and six years old, respectively.
Those above the age of eighty, regardless of gender, would gain the least benefits, lasting around three years longer on the optimised diet and slightly more than half as long on the feasible diet, respectively.
Because the estimates are based on averages rather than individual projections, adds Fadnes, they shouldn’t be interpreted as specific predictions. In addition to the impacts of eggs, white meat, and oils, as well as other risk factors and lifestyle choices, he emphasises that there are other ambiguities. In addition, the forecasts do not account for future advancements in medical care.
As noted by Tim Spector of King’s College London, “the study’s basic premise is sound, and it is well thought out.” According to him, the study “highlights the significance of diet on our overall health.”
According to Spector, the model is built on a number of assumptions and may be overly simplistic. For example, he believes that the manner in which meals are processed, rather than the sort of food in general, is crucial to consideration. Furthermore, according to Spector’s research, there are significant individual variances, with some people, for example, being able to consume significantly more fat without experiencing negative consequences than others.
Eating fewer meat and dairy products provides significant environmental benefits, despite the fact that this study focused solely on health outcomes.###
