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Diet and nutrition

We’re living shorter lives — is what we eat to blame?

Sources: 18 · Article: 20 982 characters

Excess calories, obesity, and highly processed foods are linked to disease and shorter lives.

  • Paul Clayton also points to poverty and limited access to fresh food, which contribute to poor nutrition.
  • However, not every link between food and life expectancy is straightforward: the examples given for tea consumption do not show a simple relationship.

What the authors write

Paul Clayton

Paul Clayton attributes 80 percent of health and life expectancy to diet and lifestyle. He identifies poverty, lack of fresh food, and easy access to soft drinks and fries as problems.

„The idea that the genes of people in the southern US were responsible for their disability was disproved a quarter of a century ago in the DanishTwin study (9), when a team led by the formidable James Vaupel found that diet and lifestyle are responsible for 80 percent of health and life expectancy.”Pomysł, że geny południa USA są odpowiedzialne za ich niepełnosprawność, został obalony ćwierć wieku temu w badaniu DanishTwin (9), kiedy zespół kierowany przez budzącego grozę Jamesa Vaupela ustalił, że dieta i styl życia są odpowiedzialne za 80 proc. zdrowia i długość życia.
Dieta a nasze przeznaczenie
Paul Clayton

Frequent consumption of Southern foods was associated with a higher risk of sudden cardiac death, while frequent consumption of traditional Mediterranean foods was associated with a lower risk.

„Those who ate Southern foods most often had a 46 percent higher risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) than those who ate the least Southern-style diet. On the other hand, the highest intake of traditional Mediterranean foods was associated with a 25 percent...”Ci, którzy najczęściej jedli żywność południową, mieli o 46 proc. wyższe ryzyko nagłej śmierci sercowej (SCD) niż ci, którzy spożywali najmniej południową dietę. Z drugiej strony – najwyższy poziom spożycia tradycyjnej śródziemnomorskiej żywności wiązał się z o 25 proc.
Dieta a nasze przeznaczenie
Paul Clayton

A higher omega-3 index was linked to a lower risk of heart and blood vessel disease and a longer life, while a low index was linked to a risk of premature death.

„A low omega-3 index was just as effective as smoking in predicting premature death, making it a very important risk factor indeed. Supplements cannot replace community and ikigai (a sense of purpose), which are also associated with better health and life expectancy.”Niski wskaźnik omega-3 był tak samo skuteczny w przewidywaniu przedwczesnej śmierci jak palenie tytoniu, co czyni go rzeczywiście bardzo ważnym czynnikiem ryzyka. Suplementy nie zastąpią wspólnoty i ikigai (poczucia celu), które również kojarzą się z lepszym zdrowiem i oczekiwaną długością życia.
Dieta a nasze przeznaczenie
Paul Clayton

Paul Clayton says that eating better can improve sleep, breathing, and overall well-being.

„Eating better may mean that you “sleep better” (50). In the long run, you will probably also breathe better and live better. References on the author's website: https://drpaulclayton.eu/blog/sleeping-with-darth/”To, że lepiej jesz, może oznaczać, że „lepiej śpisz” (50). Na dłuższą metę prawdopodobnie będziesz też lepiej oddychać i lepiej żyć. Bibliografia na stronie autora: https://drpaulclayton.eu/blog/sleeping-with-darth/
Wspomnienie Lorda Vadera, czyli o związku flory jelitowej z bezdechem nocnym
Bracia Rodzeń

Bracia Rodzeń says that food can shorten your life or add years to it.

„What we eat can either take many years off our lives or add many years to them. These days, you have to be a very informed consumer to avoid becoming ill. After all, none of us consciously chooses to get sick. In this section, you’ll find tips on what to eat to live a healthy, long life and get rid of metabolic diseases.”To co jemy może albo zabrać nam sporo lat życia albo wiele lat dodać. W dzisiejszych czasach trzeba być bardzo świadomym konsumentem, aby nie zacząć chorować. A przecież nikt z nas nie wybiera świadomie choroby. W tej części znajdziesz wskazówki co jeść, żeby zdrowo i długo żyć oraz pozbyć się chorób metabolicznych.
Wiedza
prof. David Ludwig

Professor David Ludwig links the projected decline in life expectancy in the US to the obesity epidemic and diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and Alzheimer’s.

„JAMA Online First, April 4, 2016 In 2005, colleagues and I predicted in the New England Journal of Medicine that life expectancy would decline in the US by mid-century due to the obesity epidemic. But I was stunned to see evidence for this prediction so soon in preliminary data just released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”JAMA Online First, April 4, 2016 In 2005, colleagues and I predicted in the New England Journal of Medicine that life-expectancy would decline in the US by mid-century due to the obesity epidemic. But I was stunned to see evidence for this prediction so soon in preliminary data just released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
DECLINING LIFE EXPECTANCY ACCORDING TO NEW CDC DATA
Nathan S. Bryan

Nathan S. Bryan blames the typical American diet, which is low in important nutrients and high in sugar and hydrogenated fats, for problems with obesity and health.

„The standard American diet (SAD) is depleted of many essential vitamins, nutrients, and minerals but includes lots of sugar and hydrogenated fats that completely destroy the ability of our mitochondria to generate energy, and it shows. We have an epidemic of obesity, with over 40% of Americans over the age of 20 obese and over 71% of those over 20 overweight.”The standard american diet (SAD) diet is depleted of many essential vitamins, nutrients and minerals but includes lots of sugar and hydrogenated fats that completely destroy the ability of our mitochondria to generate energy and it shows. We have an epidemic of obesity with over 40% of Americans over the age of 20 are obese and over 71% of those over 20 are overweight.
The Energy of Life - How Do We Capture & Optimize Our Energy Output?
Henryk Różański

The examples of countries in Henryk Różański’s list do not show a simple relationship between how much tea people drink and life expectancy.

„The Swiss drink other interesting herbal teas, alpine ones, and they do well. I assure all readers that there are plenty of European herbs that can replace teas from overseas, including herbs with free-radical-scavenging, antioxidant, and diuretic properties, and that reduce the risk of cancer and delay aging.”Szwajcarzy piją inne ciekawe herbatki ziołowe, alpejskie – i dobrze się z tym mają. Zapewniam wszystkich Czytelników, że jest mnóstwo ziół europejskich, którymi możemy zastąpić zamorskie herbaty, również o właściwościach przeciwrodnikowych, antyoksydacyjnych, moczopędnych i zmniejszających ryzyko wystąpienia nowotworów oraz opóźniających procesy starzenia.
Theae viridis folium – liść zielonej herbaty w fitoterapii i kosmetologii.
M. Williamson i N. Moustaid-Moussa i L. Gollahon

M. Williamson, N. Moustaid-Moussa, and L. Gollahon point to both excess calories and nutrients, and malnutrition, as factors that reduce life expectancy.

„Overnutrition and caloric excess from fats and carbohydrates contribute just as much to lower life expectancy as malnutrition (). Most modern diets are thought to contain more meat, animal products, fats, sodium, and chloride, and less fiber and potassium than ancestral diets and even most Eastern diets (; ; ; ).”Overnutrition and caloric excess with fats and carbohydrates is equally contributory to lower life expectancy as malnutrition (). Most modern diets are thought to contain more meats, animal products, fats, sodium, and chloride, with less fiber and potassium than ancestral diets and even most eastern diets (; ; ; ).
Frontiers | The Molecular Effects of Dietary Acid Load on Metabolic Disease (The Cellular PasaDoble: The Fast-Paced Dance of pH Regulation)
M. Williamson i N. Moustaid-Moussa i L. Gollahon

M. Williamson, N. Moustaid-Moussa, and L. Gollahon add that the modern diet often contains more meat, fats, salt, and processed sugars, and less fiber.

„Most modern diets are thought to contain more meat, animal products, fats, sodium, and chloride, and less fiber and potassium than ancestral diets and even most Eastern diets (; ; ; ). The development of transportation, livestock domestication, the industrial revolution, and other advances have enabled our modern diet to overcome food shortages and other limitations that shaped ancestral diets.”Most modern diets are thought to contain more meats, animal products, fats, sodium, and chloride, with less fiber and potassium than ancestral diets and even most eastern diets (; ; ; ). Development of transportation, domestication of livestock, industrial revolution, and other advances have allowed our modern diet to overcome food scarcity and other limitations seen in ancestral diet development.
Frontiers | The Molecular Effects of Dietary Acid Load on Metabolic Disease (The Cellular PasaDoble: The Fast-Paced Dance of pH Regulation)

Research from PubMed · Europe PMC

We selected 8 studies with the best, positive results. This is a selection, not a full review of all research.

Total number of studies on this topic in PubMed: 2 298.

A meta-analysis found that dietary restriction extended the lifespan of the species studied, although the effect depended on sex, species, and diet composition.

Aim of the study: Dietary restriction (DR) extends the lifespan of a wide range of species, although the universality of this effect has never been quantitatively examined. Here, we report the first comprehensive comparative meta-analysis of DR across studies and species.

Results: In general, DR has less effect in extending lifespan in males and also in non-model organisms. Surprisingly, the proportion of protein intake was more important for life extension via DR than the degree of caloric restriction. Furthermore, we show that reduction in both age-dependent and age-independent mortality rates drives life extension by DR among the well-studied laboratory model species (yeast, nematode worms, fruit flies and rodents). Our results suggest that convergent adaptation to laboratory conditions better explains the observed DR-longevity relationship than evolutionary conservation although alternative explanations are possible.

Comparative and meta-analytic insights into life extension via dietary restriction. · Aging Cell 2012
Money for the studynot stated
Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated
Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown
Type of studycombined analysis of many studies (meta-analysis)

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

In the study, people who followed healthier dietary patterns had a lower risk of death and a longer projected life expectancy.

Aim of the study: Associations between healthy dietary patterns and life expectancy remain unclear. Here, we reported the prospective associations of five dietary patterns with mortality and life expectancy in 103,649 UK Biobank participants.

Results: Compared with the bottom quintile, achieving the top quintile of dietary scores was associated with 1.9 to 3.0 years of life gained at 45 years in men and 1.5 to 2.3 years in women. The life gained was longest in DRRD for males and AMED for females. The significant associations remained when accounting for genetic susceptibility. Our findings underscore the advantages of healthy dietary patterns in prolonging life expectancy, regardless of longevity genes.

Healthy dietary patterns, longevity genes, and life expectancy: A prospective cohort study. · Sci Adv 2026
Money for the studycompany together with others · the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by China Association for Science and Technology, Infinitus (China) Company Ltd., Chinese Nutrition Society
Do the authors have ties to companies?no — the authors say so
Did a manufacturer help with the study?YES
Type of studyobservation of people
Participants103 649

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

Following five healthy lifestyle factors, including a good-quality diet, was associated with lower mortality.

Aim of the study: Americans have a shorter life expectancy compared with residents of almost all other high-income countries. We aim to estimate the impact of lifestyle factors on premature mortality and life expectancy in the US population.

Results: During up to 34 years of follow-up, we documented 42 167 deaths. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for mortality in adults with 5 compared with zero low-risk factors were 0.26 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22-0.31) for all-cause mortality, 0.35 (95% CI, 0.27-0.45) for cancer mortality, and 0.18 (95% CI, 0.12-0.26) for cardiovascular disease mortality. The population-attributable risk of nonadherence to 5 low-risk factors was 60.7% (95% CI, 53.6-66.7) for all-cause mortality, 51.7% (95% CI, 37.1-62.9) for cancer mortality, and 71.7% (95% CI, 58.1-81.0) for cardiovascular disease mortality. We estimated that the life expectancy at age 50 years was 29.0 years (95% CI, 28.3-29.8) for women and 25.5 years (95% CI, 24.7-26.2) for men who adopted zero low-risk lifestyle factors. In contrast, for those who adopted all 5 low-risk factors, we projected a life expectancy at age 50 years of 43.1 years (95% CI, 41.3-44.9) for women and 37.6 years (95% CI, 35.8-39.4) for men.

Impact of Healthy Lifestyle Factors on Life Expectancies in the US Population. · Circulation 2018
Money for the studygovernment, public institutions · National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), NHLBI NIH HHS, NCI NIH HHS
Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated
Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown
Type of studyobservation of people

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

People who followed more healthy habits, including a higher-quality diet, lived longer without diabetes, heart disease, or cancer.

Aim of the study: To examine how a healthy lifestyle is related to life expectancy that is free from major chronic diseases.

Results: The life expectancy free of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer at age 50 was 23.7 years (95% confidence interval 22.6 to 24.7) for women who adopted no low risk lifestyle factors, in contrast to 34.4 years (33.1 to 35.5) for women who adopted four or five low risk factors. At age 50, the life expectancy free of any of these chronic diseases was 23.5 (22.3 to 24.7) years among men who adopted no low risk lifestyle factors and 31.1 (29.5 to 32.5) years in men who adopted four or five low risk lifestyle factors. For current male smokers who smoked heavily (≥15 cigarettes/day) or obese men and women (body mass index ≥30), their disease-free life expectancies accounted for the lowest proportion (≤75%) of total life expectancy at age 50. Adherence to a healthy lifestyle at mid-life is associated with a longer life expectancy free of major chronic diseases.

Healthy lifestyle and life expectancy free of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort study. · BMJ 2020
Money for the studygovernment, public institutions · NHLBI NIH HHS, NCI NIH HHS, NIDDK NIH HHS
Do the authors have ties to companies?yes — the authors reported it
Did a manufacturer help with the study?YES
Type of studyobservation of people

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

A review found that the Mediterranean diet is associated with longer life and a lower risk of death and chronic disease.

Aim of the study: The recent relevant evidence of the effects of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and lifestyle on health (2015 and first months of 2016).

Results: Large observational prospective epidemiological studies with adequate control of confounding and two large randomized trials support the benefits of the Mediterranean dietary pattern to increase life expectancy, reduce the risk of major chronic disease, and improve quality of life and well-being. Recently, 19 new studies from large prospective studies showed - with nearly perfect consistency - strong benefits of the MedDiet to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, total mortality, heart failure, and disability. Interestingly, two large and well conducted cohorts reported significant cardiovascular benefits after using repeated measurements of diet during a long follow-up period. In addition, Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea, the largest randomized trial with MedDiet, recently reported benefits of this dietary pattern to prevent cognitive decline and breast cancer.

Mediterranean diet and life expectancy; beyond olive oil, fruits, and vegetables. · Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2016
Money for the studycompany together with others · NIDDK NIH HHS, NHLBI NIH HHS, European Research Council
Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated
Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown
Type of studydiscussion of other studies

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

Modeling suggests that better adherence to Canadian dietary guidelines would be associated with lower mortality and longer life.

Aim of the study: National dietary guidelines are key tools for chronic disease prevention, yet the mortality and life-expectancy benefits of greater guideline alignment remain insufficiently quantified overall and among socially disadvantaged groups.

Results: Among 15,835 adults, shifting the population to optimal adherence yielded lower estimated 5-year (RR:0.55; 95% CI:0.39-0.77) and 13-year mortality (RR:0.79; 95% CI:0.70-0.89), corresponding to 13-year life-expectancy gains of 1.7 years (women) to 3.0 years (men). Targeting adults with less than secondary education lowered population-level 5-year mortality by 28% (RRoptimal:0.72; 95% CI: 0.56-0.93), comparable to universal high adherence among all adults aged 45-80 years (RRhigh:0.64; 95% CI:0.47-0.87). Low-income targeting showed short-term within-group benefit only; estimates for food-insecurity and neighborhood-deprivation were near null. Higher adherence to a national food-based dietary guideline yielded lower estimated mortality and longer life expectancy in this target trial emulation. Targeted improvement among adults with lower educational attainment showed clear short-term population-level benefit, comparable to universal approaches.

Dietary Guideline Adherence and All-Cause Mortality: A Target Trial Emulation of Universal and Equity-Targeted Strategies Among Canadian Adults. · Am J Prev Med 2026
Money for the studynot stated
Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated
Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown
Type of studyobservation of people
Participants15 835

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

Modeling predicts that reducing red and processed meat and increasing vegetable and legume consumption could extend life and prevent disease.

Aim of the study: Reducing meat intake and increasing plant-based food consumption are priorities for chronic disease prevention and environmental sustainability across Europe. Previous modelling has outlined how policy interventions could shift dietary patterns to align with meat reduction targets, but the resulting health impacts remain unexplored.

Results: Achieving the red and processed meat reduction components of the CCC's targets was associated with a projected increase in life expectancy of 7.2 (1.1-12.9) and 9.4 (1.3-15.4) months and years of life gained of 8.4 (1.3-14.9) and 10.9 (1.5-17.9) million, in the 35% and 50% scenarios, respectively. An estimated 3.4 (0.5-6.6) and 4.5 (0.6-8.1) million chronic disease cases could be averted. Up to 95% of health gains were attributable to cardiovascular outcomes, with three quarters linked to increased vegetable and legume consumption. These exploratory estimates suggest policy-driven reductions in red and processed meat aligned with climate goals could deliver substantial public health benefits. While conditional on modelled behavioural trajectories, findings offer relevant insights for European strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease burden and promote sustainable dietary transitions.

Health co-benefits of sustainable dietary transitions to reduced red and processed meat intake in the United Kingdom: a modelling study. · Eur J Nutr 2026
Money for the studyuniversity or foundation · Karolinska Institute
Do the authors have ties to companies?yes — the authors reported it
Did a manufacturer help with the study?NO
Type of studyother

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

In an analysis of EU countries, higher fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with longer life.

Aim of the study: Background/Objectives: Healthy eating and regular physical activity support chronic disease prevention and healthy aging, while smoking, sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption, and excess weight remain important public health concerns in Europe.

Results: The reduced regression model, including healthy dietary behavior, physical activity, and overweight prevalence, explained 47.4% of the variance in life expectancy. Cluster analysis identified three distinct lifestyle-health profiles: a healthy-diet, low-excess-weight and high-longevity profile; a lower-diet-quality, higher-smoking and lower-health-outcome profile; and a mixed profile characterized by low smoking, higher excess weight, and relatively favorable health outcomes. Conclusions: The study supports a systems-oriented view of lifestyle and population health in Europe. Its findings may inform more targeted nutrition, obesity prevention, and public health policies across EU countries.

A Systems Perspective on Lifestyle Behaviors, Excess Weight, and Healthy Longevity in the European Union. · Nutrients 2026
Money for the studynot stated
Do the authors have ties to companies?no — the authors say so
Did a manufacturer help with the study?NO
Type of studyobservation of people
Participants27

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

Perspectives and opinion materials

The content below presents the authors’ opinions, interpretations and hypotheses. It is not treated as equal to scientific studies and systematic reviews.

Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„In the past two decades, evidence has accrued showing that higher 25(OH)D serum levels from diet, supplements, and/or solar UVB exposure, are associated and mechanistically linked to better health and longer life expectancy.”In the past two decades, evidence has accrued showing that higher 25(OH)D serum levels from diet, supplements, and/or solar UVB exposure, are associated and mechanistically linked to better health and longer life expectancy.
Vitamin D acceptance delayed by Big Pharma following the Disinformation Playbook
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„Those in the control group had "individualized medical therapy and strictly monitored diet and life-style intervention (exercise)." There was no mention of what the monitored diet consisted of, the intensity of exercise, or compliance rates. In a short time, the surgical patients had "spectacular" results in terms of diabetes control. But those obese individuals didn't get that way overnight. For one reason or another, their diet must have included too many calories and not enough exercise. We aren't told at what point intervention with wimpy or questionably effective glucose control drugs, diet control and exercise were entertained.”Those in the control group had "individualized medical therapy and strictly monitored diet and life-style intervention (exercise)." There was no mention of what the monitored diet consisted of, the intensity of exercise, or compliance rates. In a short time, the surgical patients had "spectacular" results in terms of diabetes control. But those obese individuals didn't get that way overnight. For one reason or another, their diet must have included too many calories and not enough exercise. We aren't told at what point intervention with wimpy or questionably effective glucose control drugs, diet control and exercise were entertained.
Quick Fixes vs. Real Nutrition Fixes
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„Eating a healthy diet was the most important prevention step, followed by an active lifestyle, with one's intellectual life, then physical activity, then social interactions being the next most important steps. Eating a healthy diet was about twice as important as exercise in predicting cognitive decline. Those with a healthy diet were about seven times less likely to have age-related cognitive decline or dementia than those with an 'average' diet and about nine times less likely to develop dementia than those with an unfavorable diet.”Eating a healthy diet was the most important prevention step, followed by an active lifestyle, with one's intellectual life, then physical activity, then social interactions being the next most important steps. Eating a healthy diet was about twice as important as exercise in predicting cognitive decline. Those with a healthy diet were about seven times less likely to have age-related cognitive decline or dementia than those with an 'average' diet and about nine times less likely to develop dementia than those with an unfavorable diet.
Most Dementia is Driven by Diet, Not Genes: The ApoE4 Exaggeration

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