Healthy diet: Want to stay fit in old age? Start eating THESE in your 40s, says Harvard study

A major study by researchers from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health has shown that eating a healthy diet in your 40s, 50s and 60s can help you age well.

The research tracked over 1 lakh Americans for nearly 30 years and found that those who ate nutritious food were more likely to reach the age of 70 without major illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure or heart problems.

So, what should we eat?

The study says we should eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, lentils, healthy fats (like those in fish or olive oil) and low-fat dairy. All these foods are linked with better chances of healthy ageing.

At the same time, the study warns against certain food items. Sugary drinks like colas and packaged fruit juices, highly-processed foods (like chips and instant noodles), red meat and salty snacks should be avoided or eaten less often. These are linked to more health problems later in life.

The study did not ask people to follow specific diet plans. Instead, it looked at the types of food people ate and compared them with eight known healthy diets like the Mediterranean diet, DASH (for heart health), MIND (for brain health) and plant-based diets.

All these diets focused on natural, unprocessed food and showed positive effects.

Not only about weight-loss

Dr Leana Wen, a health expert, tells CNN this research proves that eating healthy is not just about losing weight but about ageing well. Even if someone hasn’t eaten healthy before, it’s never too late to start.

“Everyone can make a conscious effort to reduce their consumption of sodas, fruit drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages. They can also try to cut their consumption of ultra-processed food, which has been linked in numerous other studies to a higher risk of mortality,” Dr Wen said.

“The study team then classified the food consumption by measuring how close the consumption pattern was to eight types of healthy diets and to the consumption of unhealthy ultra-processed food,” she added.