"Optimal dietary patterns for healthy aging" (published in Nature Medicine)

[ucbalumnus]

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03570-5

In this study, we examined the association between long-term adherence to eight healthy dietary patterns, including the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Alternative Mediterranean Index (aMED), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND), the healthful plant-based diet (hPDI), the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI), the empirically inflammatory dietary pattern (EDIP), the empirical dietary index for hyperinsulinemia (EDIH) and ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption, and healthy aging after 30 years in two large prospective US cohorts. We then examined these associations in specific subgroups, including stratification according to sex, ancestry, socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle factors. We also examined the associations of individual foods and nutrients contributing to such dietary patterns.

Figure 2 in the paper shows how each of the overall dietary patterns correlates to various measures of healthy aging, and figure 4 in the paper shows how consumption of various components like vegetables or meat correlate to various measures of healthy aging. Most of the correlations were not surprising.

[cinnamon1212]

Eric Topol’s take:

Our Diet and Healthy Aging

[kelsmom]

From a Prevention article discussing the study, re: AHEI:

This diet is rich in vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and healthy fats. It also minimizes red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, sodium, and refined grains.

The eating plan specifically suggests aiming for five servings of vegetables a day, four servings of fruit, five to six servings of whole grains, and getting a serving a day from nuts, legumes, and vegetable protein.

I’m not sure that the study tells us much that we don’t know.

[eyemgh]

He has a book coming out. Of all the talking heads, Attia, Huberman, etc, I trust Topol the most. He sticks to evidence, doesn’t make speculative leaps and isn’t dogmatic.

[Mwfan1921]

I didn’t know he had another book coming out, thanks. I look forward to reading it, have been a Topol fan for a long time.
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Super-Agers/Eric-Topol/9781668067666

[cinnamon1212]

I have already pre-ordered my copy

[Mwfan1921]

Me too!

[sushiritto]

@kelsmom

I’m not sure that the study tells us much that we don’t know.

At the bottom, there’s a now closed online poll. The results were 9 out of 10 poll respondents voted for “reinforces what I already know.”

The biggest chapter is on lifestyle + factors (the + indicates factors well beyond diet, sleep and exercise) and within it is a section called Good Food where I review the data from diet studies. Here is a brief excerpt of that section:

Another way to put it: pooping calories instead of absorbing them!

Groundbreaking (sarcasm). I’m going to take a pass on the book.

[sushiritto]

Speaking of Dr. Attia…

Overall, I liked Attia’s book. But the other day I viewed an interview he posted where he spoke with another doctor, the subject matter which is off-topic to this thread, and thought, after watching the video, “what a crock of poop."

Point being, I believe all these MD “taking heads” have some good ideas, but also some bad ones.

[eyemgh]

Evidence based ideas are just that, the truth as we know it based on the current mass of evidence. That’s where Topol confines his opinions. Attia unfortunately extrapolates from there and makes claims that aren’t supported by the literature.

[sushiritto]

@eyemgh

That’s where Topol confines his opinions.

The excerpts of Topol’s “new” book suggest he’s just repeating what is already known. For $32.50 of course. I’m good. I’ll pass.