Adhering To One Of These 8 Recommended Diets Results In A Lowered Risk Of Chronic Disease, According To New Study
A recent study conducted by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, reviewed several recommended diets– from the Healthful Plant-Based Diet Index to the Alternate Mediterranean Diet.
And thankfully, the authors offered some good news: individuals who adhere to any of the studied diets are more likely to have better health outcomes.
The team analyzed 32 years’ worth of data collected from 205,852 participants between 25 and 75 years old. The participant pool included 162,667 women as well as 43,185 men.
Over the years, each participant regularly reported details about food intake, medical history, and lifestyle. The median follow-up per participant was 26 years.
Through these reports, the researchers observed 44,975 major chronic disease events and 18,615 cases of diabetes. Additionally, 12,962 major cardiovascular diseases and 17,909 total cancers were observed as well.
And even though the participants in the study were not specifically adhering to recommended diets, the researchers were able to categorize each participant’s reported diet into a level of adherence using a weighted system.
Then, the study compared levels of adherence to several dietary pattern groups against health outcomes. These diet groups included:
- Alternate Mediterranean Diet
- Alternative Healthy Eating Index – 2010
- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
- Healthful Plan-Based Diet Index
- Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet
- Reversed Empirical Dietary Index For Hyperinsulinemia
- Reversed Empirical Dietary Inflammation Pattern
- World Cancer Research Fund/American Institue For Cancer Research Diet
Afterward, the researchers ranked each participant’s adherence by comparison to the top 90th percentile versus the bottom 10th percentile.
ViDi Studio – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
In the end, the study revealed that no matter which diet pattern a participant stuck to, having a higher adherence rate resulted in a lower risk of disease.
The individuals who adhered to diets that were specifically designed to lower the risk of high blood insulin levels, inflammation, or diabetes were also less likely to develop heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
But, some food groups did lead to worse health outcomes. For instance, diets that frequently included red meat, processed meats, french fries, eggs, and energy drinks were linked with major chronic diseases.
Interestingly, though, consuming larger amounts of whole grains, wine, coffee, and desserts was actually associated with a lower risk of major chronic diseases.
Still, it is crucial to note that these food and beverage items were drawn from dietary pattern groups with various food intake strategies.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in Nature Medicine, visit the link here.
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