From The September 2000 Issue of Nutrition Science News

Healthy Eating Reduces Death Risk

Following a good general diet reduces the risk of death by 30 percent, according to a study conducted by Ashima K. Kant, Ph.D., of Queens College, City University of New York in Flushing. In the study, 42,254 women between 40 and 93 (average age 61) filled out a food-frequency questionnaire in 1987 as part of the Breast Cancer Detection and Demonstration Project (BCDDP). A Recommended Food Score (RFS) was then computed for each participant based on how many of the following foods she consumed weekly: apples or pears, cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit, orange or grapefruit juice, other fruit juices, dried beans, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, other greens, green salad, carrots, sweet potatoes or yams, potatoes, non-fried poultry, non-fried fish, whole-grain breads, corn products, high-fiber cereals, 2 percent milk, 1 percent milk, or skim milk. Using a one-point scale, the maximum possible score was 23, while the average score was 11.3.

The participants were divided into four categories according to their score and followed for eight years. Those with the poorest diet (group 1) averaged a score of 7, while those with the best diet (group 4) averaged a score of 15.

Results showed that the women in group 4 had a 40 percent lower chance of dying from cancer than those in group 1. Moreover, their risk of dying from heart disease was 33 percent lower, from stroke 42 percent lower, and from all other causes 15 percent lower than that of group 1. Overall, the death rate from all causes was 30 percent lower for group 4 than group 1.

This study is one of the first to attempt a global measure of dietary nutritional value rather than focusing on specific components. Although the food parameters used were somewhat arbitrary, the findings suggest that the link between diet and longevity may be even greater than suspected.

- Journal of American Medical Assoc., 2000 Apr 26;283(16):2109-15.