Improving your eating pattern and sticking to these changes for the long haul may have a big impact on reducing your risk of dying prematurely. Those were the findings of a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. A 20-percentile increase (improvement) in diet-quality scores was associated with an 8 to 17% reduction in risk of premature death. And, the risk of dying from any cause was significantly lower among people who maintained a high-quality diet over time, compared to people with consistently low diet-quality scores over time.
The researchers looked at the association between changes in diet quality among nearly 74,000 men and women (participating in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study) and their risk of dying over the next 12 years. Food surveys were completed every four years.
Improve your dietary pattern by eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish and vegetable oils in place of red and processed meats, refined carbs and sugary drinks.
To learn more: The New England Journal of Medicine, July 2017