Changes to diet in your 40s could add a decade onto your life expectancy – even after years eating food that’s bad for you
Eating a healthy diet in your 40s can extend life expectancy by ten years, researchers say.
Replacing processed meats, sugary drinks and eggs with whole grains and nuts can lead to longer life, even in those who have been eating unhealthy foods for years.
An international study led by the University of Glasgow and the University of Bergen in Norway has found that the average 40-year-old could live ten years longer if he changed his unhealthy diet.
Unhealthy diets high in fat, sugar and salt are estimated to cause more than 75,000 premature deaths in Britain every year, including almost 17,000 among under 70s.
Middle-aged people who have eaten refined grains and red meat can still live longer if they improve their diet even later in life
Poor diet is linked to obesity, cancer, heart attacks and strokes.
It is known that healthy food helps people live longer, but how this translates to people in different stages of life has not previously been calculated.
Researchers found that people were more likely to live longer if they had a moderate intake of whole grains, fruits, fish and white meat; a high intake of milk and dairy products, vegetables, nuts, beans and legumes; and a relatively low intake of eggs, red meat, sugary drinks, refined grains and processed meats.
Dr. Carlos Celis-Morales, researcher at the University of Glasgow's School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health, said: 'Most people don't follow healthy eating guidelines. Therefore, it is important to estimate the gains in life expectancy expected from different types of dietary changes.”
He added: 'The greatest gains in life expectancy are associated with increased intake of whole grains and nuts, and with reduced intake of sugar-sweetened drinks and processed meats.'
Researchers estimate that the average 40-year-old woman with an unhealthy diet could live another 37 years if she continues to eat this way. For a man that is 34 years.
Switching to a healthy diet would increase their life expectancy to approximately 87 and 85 years respectively.
The research used data from the UK Biobank on almost half a million people.