Overview
- Karolinska Institutet tracked just over 2,400 older adults in the SNAC‑K cohort for up to 15 years with repeated dietary assessments, publishing the results in Nature Aging.
- Participants who most closely followed Mediterranean, MIND or AHEI dietary patterns accumulated, on average, two to three fewer chronic conditions than those with the poorest diets.
- Diets scoring high on the Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Index—marked by red and processed meats and sugary drinks—were linked to faster accumulation of chronic diseases.
- Protective associations were strongest for cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric conditions, with no clear effect observed for musculoskeletal disorders such as arthritis or osteoporosis.
- Benefits appeared more pronounced in women and adults aged 78 and older, and the authors note the observational design and Swedish cohort limit causal inference and generalizability.