Diet for Longevity

Whole grains, especially wheat and rye, are probably the best proven to lower mortality. Certain vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and lentils are also well-proven to increase life span.

Apples, Onions Good: In a study of 5,133 Finnish men and women ages 30-69 and free from heart disease, dietary intake of flavonoids, total mortality, and coronary mortality showed that in women the risk ratio between highest and lowest quarters of flavonoid intake adjusted for age, smoking, serum cholesterol concentration, blood pressure, and body mass index were 0.69 (31% lower mortality) and 0.54 (46% lower mortality due to heart disease) for total and coronary mortality. For men, the ratios were 0.76 and 0.78. Adjustment for intake of antioxidant vitamins and fatty acids weakened the associations for women; the relative risks for coronary heart disease were 0.73 and 0.67 in women and men. Intakes of onions and apples, the main dietary sources of flavonoids, presented similar associations. The relative risks for coronary mortality between highest and lowest quarters of apple intake were 0.57 and 0.81. The corresponding values for onions were 0.50 women and 0.74 men. Flavonoid intake and coronary mortality in Finland: a cohort study. Knekt P, Jarvinen R, Reunanen A, Maatela J. BMJ 1996 Feb 24;312(7029):478-81. Two other large studies have found no evidence of a flavonoid effect.

Blueberries Increase Lifespan in Nematodes: In a study of blueberry polyphenols on lifespan and aging of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans,  blueberry polyphenols increased lifespan and slowed aging-related declines in C. elegans. These benefits did not just reflect antioxidant activity in these compounds. Only one fraction, enriched in proanthocyanidin compounds, increased C. elegans lifespan and thermotolerance. Prolonged lifespan from this treatment required the presence of a CaMKII pathway that mediates osmotic stress resistance, though not other pathways that affect stress resistance and longevity. Blueberry polyphenols increase lifespan and thermotolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Wilson MA, et al. National Institute on Aging, Baltimore. Aging Cell 2006 Feb;5(1):59-68.

Carotenoid Vegetables Decrease Cancer & Death in Japan Prospective: 949 males and 1495 females Hokkaido, Japan. In 9 yr f/u, 146 subjects died, with cancer 76. Serum collected at entry of beta- and alpha-carotenes, lycopene, beta-cryptoxanthin, canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin/lutein, tocopherols, and retinol. Age- and gender-adjusted hazard ratios of the groups with high serum levels of lycopene, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin/lutein, and total carotenoids compared to those with low serum levels were 0.36, 0.53, 0.73, and 0.52 for cancers of all sites, and 0.44, 0.59, 0.61, and 0.50 for all causes, respectively. Similar after adjusting for gender, age, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, and serum levels of total cholesterol and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activity. Moreover, after excluding mortality within the first three years of follow-up, the hazard ratios of subjects with high serum levels of lycopene, total carotenes, and total carotenoids were significantly and inversely associated with subsequent mortality from all causes and cancers of all sites after adjusting for gender, age, and serum levels of total cholesterol, alpha-tocopherol, and retinol. However, high serum levels of tocopherols and retinol did not help. Serum antioxidants and subsequent mortality rates of all causes or cancer among rural Japanese inhabitants. Ito Y, Suzuki K, Suzuki S, Sasaki R, Otani M, Aoki K. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 2002 Jul;72(4):237-50

Fat in 10%-22% Body Mass May Be OK: This calorie restriction-induced prevention of morbidity does not require excessive leanness, but is clearly present when body fat is within the normal range of 10 to 22%, and this is likely to be true in humans as well. From on-going study of monkeys on CR. : Toxicol Sci 1999 Dec;52(2 Suppl):56-60

Fit & Non-Fat Best: UNC study 5366 adults 14 yr average f/u. Fitness and fatness were both associated with mortality from all causes and from cardiovascular disease. For mortality from all causes, the adjusted hazard ratios were 1.32 among the fit-fat, 1.30 among the unfit-not fat, and 1.57 among the unfit-fat women compared with fit-not fat women. Among men the same hazard ratios were 1.44, 1.25, and 1.49. There were no significant interactions between fitness and fatness in either men or women. The authors conclude that both fitness and fatness are risk factors for mortality, and that being fit does not completely reverse the increased risk associated with excess adiposity. Fitness and fatness as predictors of mortality from all causes and from cardiovascular disease in men and women in the lipid research clinics study. Stevens J, Cai J, Evenson KR, Thomas R. Am J Epidemiol 2002 Nov 1;156(9):832-41

Fish Helps: 20% reduction in total mortality associated with weekly fish/shellfish intake (>200g) was observed in the study population (relative risk = 0.79). 18000 Shanghai men 45-59yo prospective study with 111 strokes. Am J Epidemiol 2001 Nov 1;154(9):809-16

Fish Oil, Alpha-Linolenic Acid Reduce Overall Mortality: GISSI-Prevenzione study of 11324 MI patients found 1g/d omega-3 supplementation for 2 years reduced cardiovasc deaths 30% and all mortality by 20%. A diet with alpha-linolenic acid also reduced overall mortality. (Circ 99:779 ’99; Lancet 1994;343:1415 ’94).

Fish and Omega-3 Reduce Death in Nurses: 84,688 females in the Nurses Health Study ages 34-59 with 16 year follow-up found fish 5 days/week had a relative risk of 0.55 for coronary heart disease death. The two highest quintiles in omega-3 consumption had RR of 0.62 and 0.54 with omega-3 making up 0.24% and 0.14% of energy intake. Controlled for many factors. JAMA 4/10/02.

Fish/Soy Benefit Small in Japan: 29,000 adults 7 yr f/u with 2000 dying. High soy intake modest beneficial effect on mortality and fish only significant for females. However, even low intake quartile consumed 410 mg omega-3 per day v 800-1000 average and 1600mg high with 0.87 HR males and 0.77 females p=0.38 for males. High soy 166 g/day v 40 g/day for low with HR 0.83 both sexes. Am J Epid ’02;156:824-31.

Fruits and Vegetable are Good: In a meta-analysis of 9 cohort studies of 91,379 men, 129,701 women, and 5,007 CHD events, the risk of CHD was decreased by 4% [P = 0.0027] for each additional portion per day of fruit and vegetable intake and by 7% [P < 0.0001] for fruit intake. The association between vegetable intake and CHD risk was heterogeneous (P = 0.0043), more marked for cardiovascular mortality [P < 0.0001] than for fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction [P = 0.0058]. Visual inspection of the funnel plot suggested a publication bias, although not statistically significant. Therefore, the reported RRs are probably overestimated. Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies. Dauchet L, et al. Institut Pasteur de Lille, France. J Nutr 2006 Oct;136(10):2588-2593.

Fruits, Berries, Vegetables Good: Finland study of over 4000 men 42-62yo, half with CVD. Follow-up time of 12.8 y, cardiovascular as well as noncardiovascular and all-cause mortality were lower among men with the highest consumption of fruits, berries and vegetables. After adjustment for the major CVD risk factors, the relative risk for men in the highest fifth of fruit, berry and vegetable intake for all-cause death, CVD-related and non-CVD-related death was 0.66. Low intake of fruits, berries and vegetables is associated with excess mortality in men: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor (KIHD) Study. Rissanen TH, Voutilainen S, Virtanen JK, Venho B, Vanharanta M, Mursu J, Salonen JT.

Garlic & Linseed Help Mice: long-term dietary application of garlic (dried powder, 0.5% in weight of standard chow; G group) or linseed oil (2.5%; L group) as well as a combination of both interventions (L G group) on the life span of hypertensive rats (SHR SP) was investigated. A further group fed with standard chow served as control (C). The dietary interventions were started at the age of three weeks. Besides regular measurements of the systolic arterial blood pressure (oscillometrically at the tail artery) as well as of heart rate and body weight, autopsy and histological investigations were performed. Both diets, and particularly their combination, prolonged life span significantly (mean values (days) C: 434.5 23.5; G: 453.2 16.2; L: 470.0 26.2; L G: 494.8 39.2). There was no significant interaction of the factors garlic and linseed oil. Systolic blood pressure as measured during the compensatory stage (data used until the 39th week of life) was significantly lowered by both garlic (mean -5.8 mm Hg), linseed oil (mean -6.3 mm Hg), and their combination (mean -11.3 mm Hg). Tubingen, Germany. Basic Res Cardiol 1997 Aug;92(4):223-32

Meat Eating Only Occasionally Best Longevity: German study found lower death rate for vegans, vegetarians, and especially occasional meat eaters in 21-year follow-up of 2000 aged 10-70. Only 59 deaths vs. 100 for normal population, but for every 100 deaths among vegans, there were 66 among vegetarians and 60 among occasional meat eaters. Amongst smokers, the mortality rate was 70% higher than non-smokers, while those who took the most exercise reduced their mortality rates by more than 30%. Alcohol not found to be a factor. Jenny Chang-Claude, Centre of Cancer Research. 3/9/03 BBC News

Meat Bad; Yogurt, Milk, Citrus, Coffee Good: In a small 5-year follow-up study of just 162 Italian elderly, citrus fruit at least twice a week had an adjusted risk of dying that was half that of individuals who consumed citrus fruit less than once a week [relative risk (RR) = 0.52]. The adjusted RRs of mortality were 0.38 for consumption of milk and yogurt at least three times a week vs. less than once a week; 0.21 for moderate consumption of espresso coffee (1-2 cups weekly) vs. less than once a week; and 0.35 for > 2 cups a week of espresso coffee vs. less than once a week. High levels of intake of ascorbic acid, riboflavin, and linoleic acid were associated with 50-60% decreases in mortality risk. High consumption of meat was associated with a much higher risk of mortality (RR = 9.72). Diet and overall survival in a cohort of very elderly people. Fortes C, Forastiere F, Farchi S, Rapiti E, Pastori G, Perucci CA. Epidemiology. 2000 Jul;11(4):440-5. Ed: Data from such a small study is interesting but unreliable. However, other studies confirm most of these findings.

Meat: Low Intake Adds 3.6 Years in Meta-Analysis: Review of the 6 studies found the following trends: 1) a very low meat intake was associated with a significant decrease in risk of death in 4 studies, a nonsignificant decrease in risk of death in the fifth study, and virtually no association in the sixth study; 2) 2 of the studies in which a low meat intake significantly decreased mortality risk also indicated that a longer duration (>/= 2 decades) of adherence to this diet contributed to a significant decrease in mortality risk and a significant 3.6-y (95% CI: 1.4, 5.8 y) increase in life expectancy; and 3) the protective effect of a very low meat intake seems to attenuate after the ninth decade. Does low meat consumption increase life expectancy in humans? Singh PN, Sabate J, Fraser GE. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Sep;78(3 Suppl):526S-532S

Mediterranean Diet Helps You Live Longer: In the huge EPIC study of 74,607 adults over age 59 from Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom with an average of 7 1/2 years of follow-up, adherence to a modified Mediterranean diet of vegetable, legumes, fruit, fish, meat-avoidance, grains (ideally whole), and moderate alcohol intake was associated with a 7% decrease in mortality. Researchers estimate realistic full adherence would lower mortality by 11% to 14%. Other confounding factors were controlled for including smoking, weight, exercise, diabetes, educational achievement, energy intake, eggs, potatoes, sugar, etc. Modified Mediterranean diet and survival: EPIC-elderly prospective cohort study. Antonia Trichopoulou et al. University of Athens and many other universities.  BMJ 4/30/05:330-991

Protein Restriction Helped Rats: Wistar rats which had been previously maintained on a commercial diet (23.4% protein) were fed diets which contained either 24, 12, 8 or 4% casein throughout their remaining life span. Except for a lowering of the body weights of the animals fed the 4% casein diet, the body weights of the remaining animals were unchanged. Reducing the dietary protein level from 24% to 12% increased the life span (25%) of the animals. Growth 1975 Dec;39(4):525-33

Vegetarian or Health Conscious Diets and Exercise Markedly Increase Longevity: In a 21-year follow-up of 1,225 vegetarians and 679 health-conscious persons in Germany, standardized mortality ratios for all-cause mortality was well below 100: 59 [95% confidence interval, 54-64], predominantly due to a deficit of deaths from circulatory diseases. Vegetarian compared with nonvegetarian diet had no effect on overall mortality [RR 1.10], whereas moderate and high physical activity significantly reduced risk of death (RR 0.62), adjusted for age, sex, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index, and educational level. Vegetarian diet was associated with a reduced RR of 0.70 (95% CI, 0.41-1.18) for ischemic heart disease, which could partly be related to avoidance of meat. Lifestyle determinants and mortality in German vegetarians and health-conscious persons: results of a 21-year follow-up. Chang-Claude J, Hermann S, et al. German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005 Apr;14(4):963-8.

Yogurt, Milk, Citrus, Coffee Good; Meat Bad: In a small 5-year follow-up study of just 162 Italian elderly, citrus fruit at least twice a week had an adjusted risk of dying that was half that of individuals who consumed citrus fruit less than once a week [relative risk (RR) = 0.52]. The adjusted RRs of mortality were 0.38 for consumption of milk and yogurt at least three times a week vs. less than once a week; 0.21 for moderate consumption of espresso coffee (1-2 cups weekly) vs. less than once a week; and 0.35 for > 2 cups a week of espresso coffee vs. less than once a week. High levels of intake of ascorbic acid, riboflavin, and linoleic acid were associated with 50-60% decreases in mortality risk. High consumption of meat was associated with a much higher risk of mortality (RR = 9.72). Diet and overall survival in a cohort of very elderly people. Fortes C, Forastiere F, Farchi S, Rapiti E, Pastori G, Perucci CA. Epidemiology. 2000 Jul;11(4):440-5. Ed: Data from such a small study is interesting but unreliable. However, other studies confirm most of these findings.

Yogurt, Whole Grains, Vegetables, Fish, Fruit, Coffee Increased Male Survival: In a 25-year follow-up study of 2,820 middle-aged Dutch civil servants and their spouses of the 10 food items that constituted the diet score in men, a higher intake of brown bread, porridge and/or yogurt, vegetables, fish, and fruit was associated with a slightly better survival. There was a significant inverse relationship between coffee consumption and survival. A similar trend, which, however, was not significant, was observed for alcohol intake. In women, the results for the separate food items were inconsistent, and no effect of a prudent diet score on longevity was observed. Scoring of prudent dietary habits and its relation to 25-year survival. Nube M, Kok FJ, Vandenbroucke JP, van der Heide-Wessel C, van der Heide RM. J Am Diet Assoc. 1987 Feb;87(2):171-5

Yogurt First Promoted for Longevity in 1907: Advocating the theory that lactobacillus in yogurt were healthy and normal and their ingestion promoted longevity. Metchnikoff E. The Prolongation of Life 1907 Heinemann London, UK. 

Whole Grain Breakfast Cereal Lowered Total Mortality 17%: In a 5.5 year study of 86,190 US male physicians ages 40-84 and free of known CVD and cancer at baseline, there were 3114 deaths from all causes, including 1381 due to CVD (488 myocardial infarctions and 146 strokes). Whole-grain breakfast cereal intake was inversely associated with total and CVD-specific mortality, independent of age; body mass index; smoking; alcohol intake; physical activity; history of diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol; and use of multivitamins. Compared with men who rarely or never consumed whole-grain cereal, men in the highest category of whole-grain cereal intake (> or = 1 serving/d) had multivariate-estimated relative risks of total and CVD-specific mortality of 0.83 (P < 0.001) and 0.80 (P < 0.001). Total and refined-grain breakfast cereal intakes were not significantly associated with total and CVD-specific mortality. These findings persisted in analyses stratified by history of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Is intake of breakfast cereals related to total and cause-specific mortality in men? Liu S, et al. Harvard. . Am J Clin Nutr 2003 Mar;77(3):594-9.

Whole Grains Meta-Analysis: 17% Lower Mortality: 12 studies reviewed showing 26% decreased risk for coronary heart disease, decreased LDL cholesterol and TG. Whole grains are also good against cancers of the GI tract, breast, and prostate. Whole wheat has very high anti-oxidant values. Whole grain breakfast cereals 2200-3500 TE (Trolox Equivalents), fruits 600-1700 (plums 2200, grapes 1700, apples 1300, banana 1100, but cantaloupe 200, melons 100, raisins 6400 (per 100 g.), berries 3700 especially high pigmented blackberries 5500, raspberries 5100, blueberries 3300, strawberries 3100, prunes 5800, concord grape juice 1500 but grapefruit-orange-apple all 400-300, vegetables in general 450, red cabbage 1400. Raisins increased cereal TEs. Iowa Women’s Health Study 17% decreased mortality whole grains. Fiber in brown rice 3.3, cooked oatmeal 4.0, whole grain breakfast 3.0+. All from J Amer Coll Nutr 6/2000

Whole Grains, Yogurt, Vegetables, Fish, Fruit, Coffee Increased Male Survival: In a 25-year follow-up study of 2,820 middle-aged Dutch civil servants and their spouses of the 10 food items that constituted the diet score in men, a higher intake of brown bread, porridge and/or yogurt, vegetables, fish, and fruit was associated with a slightly better survival. There was a significant inverse relationship between coffee consumption and survival. A similar trend, which, however, was not significant, was observed for alcohol intake. In women, the results for the separate food items were inconsistent, and no effect of a prudent diet score on longevity was observed. Scoring of prudent dietary habits and its relation to 25-year survival. Nube M, Kok FJ, Vandenbroucke JP, van der Heide-Wessel C, van der Heide RM. J Am Diet Assoc. 1987 Feb;87(2):171-5