Healthy dietary patterns reduce chronic disease risk during aging

A long-term study conducted by researchers from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and IMDEA Nutrición suggests that maintaining high-quality dietary patterns is essential for reducing the risk of chronic diseases during aging.

Analyzing data from over 84,000 participants over an eleven-year period, the research published in BMC Medicine evaluated various dietary indices, including the Alternative Mediterranean Diet (aMED), the DASH pattern, and the Healthy Eating Index (AHEI-2010). The findings indicate that individuals adhering to these patterns had a 6% to 8% lower risk of developing their first chronic disease.

Notably, those with high adherence to the alternative Mediterranean diet showed a 28% lower risk of dying without having developed the analyzed diseases. Researchers emphasized that overall dietary quality and long-term patterns—rather than isolated foods—are the primary factors in modulating health throughout a lifetime and preventing multimorbidity.