Healthy diets slow biological aging regardless of the specific nutritional framework followed, according to a study published in Nature Communications.
Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases analyzed data from 6,470 participants aged 30 and older to understand how food choices affect the body’s actual wear and tear. A research team examined data from these 6,470 individuals aged 30 years and older. The team compared participants against ten established nutritional models using blood biomarkers that reveal biological age.
Scientists examined DNA methylation patterns to measure biological aging. These are chemical tags on genes that shift over time. Researchers applied three epigenetic clocks using technology that covered 850,000 positions on the DNA strand. Higher diet quality consistently corresponded to slower epigenetic aging.
The findings were validated using a secondary, independent sample of 1,034 individuals analyzed through the same methods. More than 70 percent of the biological pathways affected were shared across the different dietary models, involving cellular structure, signaling, and metabolism.
The study evaluated ten widely recognized nutritional frameworks. People rarely achieved high scores across all protocols simultaneously. The evaluated models include the Mediterranean diet, the Nordic diet, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, and the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet.
Additional frameworks examined were the Alternate Healthy Eating Index. It assesses diet quality based on foods and habits linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases. The Plant-based Diet Index, the Healthful Plant-based Diet Index, and the EAT-Lancet diet were also examined.
The Unhealthful Plant-based Diet Index and the Dietary Inflammatory Index assessed less nutritious options, where lower scores reflecting reduced intake of sweets and sugary beverages correlated with slower aging.
“The effects are not huge, but they are measurable and important for prevention,” said epidemiologist Monique Breteler from the DZNE, noting that slowing aging could help reduce risks for conditions like dementia and cardiovascular disease.
Epidemiologist Juliana Tavares said adherence to these diets does not require perfection. Distinct dietary models offered overlapping benefits linked to cardiovascular health in DASH and cognitive function in MIND. People can select patterns fitting personal preferences and resources.