In a recent study, scientists showed that morevegetarian foodsin nutrition ensure a long life. The study results suggest that changing diets to plant-based diets at any age could add years to life expectancy. The researchers used existing data to create a model that estimates the impact of dietary changes on life expectancy.
Why experts recommend a vegetarian diet for a long life
A diet rich in legumes and whole grains can extend a person's life by up to 1 decade if started early enough. Not surprisingly, certain foods people eat can have a profound impact on their health. In the current study there is a free, interactive online calculator calledFood4HealthyLife. This makes it easy to estimate the positive impact of each food group on a person's longevity. Taking into account a person's age and the proportion of different food groups they consume, the calculator models the possible life expectancy advantage. The research also used comprehensive, global data. However, the factors that influence this life expectancy go beyond diet. The calculator predicts and isolates the possible effects of dietary changes.
The scientists concluded that a sustained transition from a typical Western diet to the optimal diet starting at age 20 could increase life expectancy by about 10.7 years for women and 13 years for men. The younger a person begins eating for longevity, the greater the projected increase in life expectancy. However, older people can also extend their lives to a lesser extent by changing their eating habits, according to the study authors. Switching from a typical diet to the optimized version at the age of 60 would increase life expectancy by 8 years for women and 8.8 years for men. According to the researchers, 80-year-olds could gain 3.4 years. Reducing red and processed meat consumption would be one of the most effective ways to do this. One aspect of the recommendationsthis studyis the promotion of legumes and whole grains over fruits and vegetables to increase longevity.
