Scientists at the University of Bergen in Norway conducted a study. It was published in PLOS Medicine. A diet rich in plants can provide a number of health benefits.
The study used computer modeling to compare two diets. One is a typical Western diet high in animal protein, dairy, and sugar. The other diet is high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains but low in animal protein.
Scientists used existing data from previous analyzes. They also utilized the Global Burden of Disease study to create a model. This model estimates the impact of a series of dietary changes on life expectancy. The model is available online and is called the Food4HealthyLife calculator.
The study found that switching to a plant-based diet will benefit 20-year-olds most. Men can extend their lives by up to 13 years. Women can extend their lives by up to 11 years. People over the age of 60 can gain up to 8 extra years after becoming vegan. Even a partial change of eating habits is beneficial. Adopting a diet filled mainly with plant products can extend life by 6 years. This diet includes small amounts of animal products. Scientists assert that making a permanent nutritional change is beneficial even at the age of 80. It can result in a 3-year life extension.
“Long-term dietary changes can have significant health benefits for people of all ages with both optimized and feasible changes. The benefits are predicted to be greater the earlier dietary changes begin in life, ‘the researchers say.
This is not the first study to show that a diet restricting animal protein and rich in plants has benefits. A Trusted Source analysis was published in 2020. It found that eating whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and coffee decreases the risk of all-cause mortality. Conversely, eating more red or processed meat was associated with higher all-cause
