Women who eat more fiber and high-quality carbohydrates in midlife are more likely to be cognitively and physically healthy in their old age, a large new study suggests.
\nWhile there\u2019s a lot of evidence showing how diet affects longevity and the risk for chronic diseases, the new study focused on how what we eat influences quality of life as we age, according to the report published in JAMA Network Open.<\/p>\n
Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, analyzed diet data from 47,512 women who were participants of the long-running Nurses\u2019 Health Study, one of the most respected and largest investigations into causes of chronic diseases in women.
\nEvery four years, between 1984 and 2016, the participants filled out a questionnaire that asked how frequently 130 foods had been consumed over the past year. The options ranged from never to six times a day.
\nThe researchers centered on dietary data collected in 1984 and 1986, as this was when the women were at midlife.
\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThe primary high-quality carbohydrates were whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables and legumes,\u201d scientist Andres Ardisson Korat, lead author of the new research, said. \u201cThe reason is they have a lot of fiber and a lot more resistant forms of starches that break down more slowly in our bodies. Low quality carbohydrates included refined grains and added sugars.\u201d
\nResistant forms of starch, such as beans and legumes and whole grain, don\u2019t cause blood glucose levels to spike, plus they increase the feeling of fullness and are high in fiber.
\nThe researchers defined healthy aging as surviving to age 70 while being free of 11 major chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, stroke, arthritis and osteoporosis; having no impairment in memory or physical function; and being in good mental health.<\/p>\n
The dietary analysis revealed a 31% greater likelihood of healthy aging among women who ate high-quality carbs, while a diet heavy in low-quality carbs was associated with a 13% lower likelihood of healthy aging.
\nArdisson Korat said healthy aging is someone with a positive score in four areas:
\nNo major chronic disease.
\nGood physical health.
\nGood cognitive function.
\nGood mental health.
\n\u201cA person with good physical health, for example, would be able to lift and carry groceries, climb a flight of stairs and walk a certain distance,\u201d Ardisson Korat said.<\/p>\n
Among the participants in the new study, only 3,706 reached age 70 free of chronic diseases. Ardisson Korat was surprised that so few women accomplished it, but noted a 2024 Tufts study on women\u2019s consumption of protein showed similar findings. In Ardisson Korat’s protein research, women who ate more plant proteins were 46% more likely to be healthy into their later years, while women who ate more animal protein, such as beef, chicken, milk, fish and cheese were 6% less likely to stay healthy as they aged.
\nA limitation of the new study is that it didn\u2019t explore how high-quality carbohydrates could lead to a healthier old age. Also, the participants in the Nurses Health Study are mostly white women and the findings may not be representative of the broader population.<\/p>\n
Brooke Aggarwal, an associate professor of medical sciences in the division of cardiology at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, said the researchers focused on a really critical period in women\u2019s lives to suggest intervention.
\n\u201cThis shows with better attention to diet we might have a good quality of life: Can someone think clearly? Can they physically function well? Can they get in and out of bed by themselves,\u201d Aggarwal said.
\nOther studies have shown that diets high in fiber can have a positive impact on outcomes, such as diabetes and other chronic diseases, said Dr. G\u00fcl Bahtiyar, chief of the division of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at NYC Health+Hospitals\/Woodhull.
\nHeidi Silver, director of the Vanderbilt Diet, Body Composition, and Human Metabolism Core at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said the data in the new study showed that fruit was especially good for healthy aging.
\n\u201cFruits are a good source of vitamins and minerals,\u201d said Silver, who was not involved in the research. \u201cThere\u2019s such as wide range of micro nutrients in them. You don\u2019t get that from a lot of the other food groups.\u201d<\/p>\n
In conclusion, the study suggests that eating a variety of high-quality carbohydrates, including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, can have a significant impact on healthy aging. While the study has its limitations, the findings emphasize the importance of a balanced diet in maintaining physical and cognitive health as we age.<\/p>\n
Q: What are high-quality carbohydrates?
\nA: High-quality carbohydrates include whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables, and legumes, which are rich in fiber and resistant forms of starch.
\nQ: How can I incorporate more high-quality carbs into my diet?
\nA: Eat a variety of fruits, aim for at least two pieces a day, and include whole grains, legumes, and vegetables in your meals.
\nQ: What is the definition of healthy aging?
\nA: Healthy aging is defined as surviving to age 70 while being free of 11 major chronic diseases, having no impairment in memory or physical function, and being in good mental health.
\nQ: Can diet alone determine healthy aging?
\nA: While diet plays a significant role in healthy aging, other factors such as lifestyle, genetics, and access to healthcare also contribute to overall health and well-being.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Introduction to Healthy Aging Women who eat more fiber and high-quality carbohydrates in midlife are more likely to be cognitively and physically healthy in their old age, a large new study suggests. While there\u2019s a lot of evidence showing how diet affects longevity and the risk for chronic diseases, the new study focused on how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20740,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-20739","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/media.nbcchicago.com\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-1389951710-e1747436480488.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=1200%2C675&w=1200&resize=1200,675&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20739"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20739"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20741,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20739\/revisions\/20741"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20740"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}