Swedish scientists have discovered that an unhealthy diet significantly accelerates the development of chronic diseases in older adults. Their 15-year study, involving 2,473 older individuals, was published in the scientific journal Nature Aging.
As part of the SNAC-K project, researchers meticulously examined the relationship between various dietary habits and the rate of multimorbidity development — the presence of several chronic illnesses simultaneously. They took into account pathologies of the cardiovascular, nervous, and other systems.
Data analysis revealed that participants adhering to the neuroprotective MIND diet, the Mediterranean diet, or following an alternative healthy eating index showed the slowest rate of chronic condition development. For these participants, the pace of disease accumulation was 5-6% lower compared to average values.
Conversely, individuals whose diets were rich in highly pro-inflammatory foods (such as processed meat, sugar, and saturated fats) experienced an accelerated decline in health. For these participants, diseases progressed 5% faster than the norm.
This strong connection between diet and the onset of multiple pathologies was particularly evident in cases of cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric diagnoses. It was noted that the negative impact of an unhealthy diet was more pronounced in women and older individuals.
Previous research has also indicated that green vegetables have a protective effect on the heart. Including foods like spinach, broccoli, or cabbage in one`s diet can significantly reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular problems.
