Healthy Aging

Eggs, Soybeans and Brain Health: New Research Finds a Connection

A study of older adults found an association between higher intake of a nutrient found in common foods and better cognitive performance, though more research is needed.

Home Delivery Boosts Use of Food Assistance for Older Adults

A small study found that older adults were far more likely to receive free fruits and vegetables when they were delivered rather than requiring a trip to the market.

Higher Ultraprocessed Food Intake Linked to Early Brain Changes

Brain scans of nearly 9,000 adults suggest a connection between diets high in ultraprocessed foods and early signs of damage, although the findings aren't conclusive.

Walnuts May Improve Diet Quality, but What About Inflammation?

A two-year study found that eating walnuts daily improved a measure of diet quality, although that doesn't necessarily mean inflammation in the body decreased.

Higher Weight at Dementia Diagnosis Was Linked to Longer Survival

People who were overweight or had obesity when dementia developed had a lower risk of death than those in the normal-weight range, but the findings do not mean gaining weight improves survival.

Ultraprocessed Foods and Brain Aging: What We Know

Research has linked diets high in ultraprocessed foods with cognitive decline and dementia, but scientists still don't know whether the foods themselves are responsible.

Many Healthy Diets Are Linked to Slower Biological Aging

A study comparing 10 eating patterns found that several different approaches to healthy eating were associated with more favorable signs of biological aging.

Western-Style Diet May Be Linked to Faster Attention Decline in Some Older Adults

The small study found the link only in people with a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, and even that result weakened under closer analysis.

Eating Less Appeared to Slow Some Signs of Cellular Aging in Mice

Mice eating 30% fewer calories accumulated fewer changes in their DNA as they aged, offering a new clue about why calorie restriction has been linked to longer life in animals.

A GLP-1 Drug Extended Lifespan in Older Mice

The treatment produced some of the same benefits as eating fewer calories and appeared to improve several measures beyond what calorie restriction alone could explain.

Food Insecurity Later in Life Was Linked to Higher Dementia Risk

A long-running U.S. study found the association was strongest among older adults who experienced food insecurity later in life, but it cannot show whether food insecurity contributed to cognitive decline or was partly a consequence of it.

Longer Meal Gaps Linked to Faster Disease Buildup in Older Adults

The association was strongest after age 78, suggesting that long fasting windows may not have the same implications in advanced age.

Brain Health Habits Can Be Hard to Follow, Even with Early Alzheimer’s

A study of people with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer’s dementia found that most were falling short on at least some recommended brain health behaviors, even among those pursuing intensive treatment.

Obesity and Aging May Share More Biology Than We Thought

A new review finds that obesity and aging affect many of the same biological systems, but shared pathways do not mean obesity literally makes someone older or that weight loss can turn back the clock.

A Vegan Diet Changed Markers Tied to Aging

A four-week trial found shifts in DNA methylation and immune patterns, but it did not show that participants aged more slowly.

Eating Less Protein May Affect Aging, but Human Evidence Is Limited

A review of more than 350 studies found biological reasons lower-protein diets could support longevity, but most lifespan evidence comes from animals and reducing protein may be harmful for some older adults.

Early-Life Sugar Rationing Was Linked to Lower Dementia Risk Decades Later

A study of nearly 65,000 people born around the end of British sugar rationing found an association between lower sugar exposure early in life and later brain health, but it cannot show that sugar caused the difference.

New Protein Target May Not Fit Every American

A new expert perspective questions whether evidence from weight-management research supports recommending 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram to adults across the lifespan.

Dietary Emissions Shift with Age, but the Reasons Go Beyond Food Choices

Adolescents and young adults had the highest dietary emissions per person, while population aging increased older adults’ share of total emissions.

Weight Cycling Was Linked to Greater Thigh Muscle Loss

Middle-aged and older adults whose weight repeatedly rose and fell lost more thigh muscle over four years, though the observational study could not determine why their weight changed.

Polyphenols May Support Brain Health

A broad review found promising biological clues, but it did not establish that any food, compound or diet prevents Alzheimer’s disease.

Diabetes Risk May Reflect Muscle Health, Not Weight Alone

Adults with both obesity and low muscle mass or strength were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with obesity alone.

Mediterranean-Style Eating May Support Well-Being as We Age

A study of adults over 50 found that greater adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet was associated with higher psychological well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Obesity’s Heart Risks Are Changing, but They Haven’t Disappeared

A large observational study found blood pressure and cholesterol gaps have narrowed among older adults with obesity in several high-income countries, likely because of medication use.

Vitamin Levels May Be Linked to Asthma Lung Function

An observational study found higher vitamin A levels were linked with better lung function in children and adults with asthma, while vitamin D showed similar links in adults.