A healthy diet may help slow the accumulation of chronic diseases in older adults, according to new research from Karolinska Institutet.
Researchers followed more than 2,400 Swedish adults age 60 and older for 15 years, tracking how their eating habits related to the development of multiple chronic illnesses, a condition known as multimorbidity. The study, published in Nature Aging, compared four dietary patterns:
MIND diet: Designed to support brain health and reduce dementia risk.
Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI): Measures adherence to dietary guidelines for overall chronic disease prevention.
Alternative Mediterranean Diet (AMED): A version of the Mediterranean pattern adapted for Western eating habits.
Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Index (EDII): A pro-inflammatory diet higher in red and processed meat, refined grains, and sweetened beverages, and lower in vegetables, tea, and coffee.
The three healthier diets shared key traits, emphasizing:
Vegetables and fruits;
Whole grains;
Nuts and legumes;
Unsaturated fats;
Limited sweets, red and processed meats, and butter or margarine.
The results were clear: older adults who adhered to the healthier diets experienced a slower accumulation of chronic conditions, particularly related to cardiovascular disease and dementia. Those who followed the inflammatory diet developed chronic conditions more quickly.
“Our results show how important diet is in influencing the development of multimorbidity in ageing populations,” said co-first author Adrián Carballo-Casla, a postdoctoral researcher at the Aging Research Centre in the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at Karolinska Institutet.
The study did not find strong associations between diet and conditions related to muscles and bones. Researchers say the next step is to explore which dietary recommendations have the most impact on longevity and to identify subgroups of older adults who may benefit most, based on factors such as age, gender, health status and psychosocial background.
The research was supported by the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE), the Foundation for Geriatric Diseases at Karolinska Institutet, the David and Astrid Hagelén Foundation, the Sigurd & Elsa Goljes Memorial Foundation and other institutional funding sources.