Scientists calculated how many years healthy eating extends life

An international team of scientists has discovered that following a healthy diet can add one to four years to life - even accounting for genetics. The study was published in the journal Science Advances.

The work was led by Yanling Lv from Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Researchers analyzed data from more than 100,000 participants in the UK Biobank - a large-scale project containing genetic and medical information on half a million volunteers. Subjects were observed for more than 10 years, with regular collection of dietary data from the previous 24 hours.

Each participant was assigned a score based on how closely their diet corresponded to one of five recognized "healthy" eating patterns: the Mediterranean diet, a diabetes risk reduction diet (high in fiber and low in sugar), the DASH diet, a plant-based diet, and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). Simultaneously, researchers assessed the presence of 19 genetic variants associated with longevity.

During the observation period, 4,314 participants died. By comparing data on diet, genetics, and mortality, scientists calculated how much longer a 45-year-old person could live by switching to healthier eating compared to people with the least balanced diets.

The most pronounced effect was shown by the AHEI index: men following this approach could expect an average of 4.3 additional years of life, while women could expect 3.2 years. The Mediterranean diet was associated with a gain of 2.2 years for men and 2.3 years for women.

The diabetes risk reduction diet provided a gain of 3 years for men and 1.7 years for women. Plant-based eating - 2.1 and 1.9 years respectively. The DASH diet was linked to an increase in life expectancy of 1.9 years for men and 1.8 years for women.

The authors emphasize that the positive effect was observed regardless of genetic predisposition to longevity. In other words, even with "non-ideal" genes, a healthy diet remained a significant factor.

The most pronounced association with increased lifespan was shown by whole grain products, fruits, and vegetables. These were most commonly found in the diets of participants with the best survival rates.