The study tracked the dietary patterns of more than 100,000 participants for more than 30 years
A study published recently in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine sought to examine the relationship between dietary patterns and healthy aging. The prospective study, which followed 105,015 participants for up to 30 years, is one of the most comprehensive studies ever conducted on this topic.
Researchers found that adherence to healthy dietary patterns during midlife was strongly associated with healthy aging, defined as reaching age 70 while maintaining cognitive, physical, and mental health and being free of major chronic diseases. The study compared eight dietary patterns, with the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) showing the strongest association with healthy aging. People in the highest AHEI quintile had 86% greater odds of achieving healthy aging compared to those in the lowest quintile.
The study identified the specific dietary factors that were most beneficial for healthy aging. Higher consumption of nuts —along with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, legumes, and low-fat dairy— was consistently associated with better outcomes, while higher intake of trans fats, sodium, and red and processed meats were linked to poorer outcomes.
The findings provide evidence that adherence to healthy dietary patterns that include nuts, among other dietary factors, represents a potential strategy for healthy aging.
Tessier, A. J., Wang, F., Korat, A. A., Eliassen, A. H., Chavarro, J., Grodstein, F., Li, J., Liang, L., Willett, W. C., Sun, Q., Stampfer, M. J., Hu, F. B., & Guasch-Ferré, M. (2025). Optimal dietary patterns for healthy aging. Nature Medicine, 10.1038/s41591-025-03570-5. Advance online publication