Good nutrition maximizes chances of healthy aging, says Quebec study
Individuals whose diets are rich in plant-based foods and low in ultra-processed foods have a better chance of aging in good health, according to research involving a Montreal scientist.
The study is believed to be one of the first to analyze several dietary patterns, adopted in one’s 40s, 50s and 60s, in relation to overall healthy aging.
“Healthy aging,” said the study’s first author, Professor Anne-Julie Tessier, a researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute and assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Université de Montréal, “asks the following question: can you live independently and enjoy a good quality of life as you age?”
“It takes a more global view, so it includes living longer without chronic disease while maintaining cognitive, physical and mental health,” she said.
Tessier carried out the work in collaboration with researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the University of Copenhagen.
More than 105,000 men and women aged between 39 and 69 were followed for more than 30 years to examine the association between adherence to eight diets and the likelihood of healthy aging.
Most of these diets emphasized a high intake of fruit, vegetables, wholegrain cereals, unsaturated fats, nuts and legumes. Some also include moderate consumption of healthy animal foods, such as fish and certain dairy products.
The researchers also assessed the consumption of ultra-processed foods, which are industrially manufactured and often contain artificial ingredients, added sugars, sodium and less healthy fats. Canada is one of the main consumers of ultra-processed foods in the industrialized world.
The authors of the study calculated that just under 10,000 subjects, or around 9.3 per cent of their sample, achieved healthy aging. Adherence to the eight diets was associated not only with overall healthy aging, but also with better cognitive, physical and mental health.
“This suggests that what we eat during this period of our lives can play an important role in how we age,” said Tessier.
Even the least effective diet improved the chances of healthy aging by 45 per cent.
Of all the diets studied, the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) was the most strongly associated with healthy aging. This diet was associated with 86 per cent greater odds of healthy aging at 70 and 2.2-times greater odds at 75.
The AHEI diet reflects a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, wholegrain cereals, nuts and healthy fats, and low in red and processed meats, sugary drinks, sodium and refined cereals.
Another important diet for healthy aging was the planetary diet, which considers both human and environmental health by emphasizing plant-based foods and minimising animal-based foods.
Traditionally, Tessier said, dietary guidelines have focused on preventing chronic diseases, such as heart disease. “Our study really highlights the potential of dietary recommendations, not only for disease prevention, but also for promoting overall healthy aging,” she added.
The potential is all the more important in the context of an aging population and a health-care system that is struggling to keep up with demand, said Tessier.
“Everything we can do to help people age in good health and not need care is therefore highly relevant,” she said.
In Canada, Tessier pointed out, two out of three elderly people report at least one chronic illness, one out of two say they have functional limitations and one out of ten live with some form of dementia.
“Studying preventive approaches to promote overall healthy aging is essential at the present time,” she said.
And as with all healthy lifestyle habits, it’s never too late to start doing things right, concluded Tessier: “Certainly, at any age, we can modify our diet and reap the benefits.”
The findings of this study were published in Nature Medicine.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 24, 2025.
Jean-Benoit Legault, The Canadian Press
