Improving diet, even later in life, can significantly reduce risk of premature death

BOSTON – It's never too late to improve your diet and reap the health benefits.

A new study out of Harvard looked at 74,000 people between the ages of 30 and 75 and found that those who improved their diets over at least 12 years by replacing salty, sugary, and processed foods with more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fish could significantly reduce their risk of premature death.

They also found that swapping out just one daily serving of red or processed meat for one daily serving of nuts or legumes was also associated with a reduced risk of death.

The researchers say their study shows that improving diet quality can have a big impact on health in the long run and that it's never too late to start.

Harvard University
Boston

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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