The Washington PostThe Washington Post

At any age, a healthy diet can extend your life

By Anahad O’Connor

18 Oct 2022 · 4 min read

Editor's Note

It's never too late to adapt your diet to a healthier one. In this article, we discover research which supports the notion that a shift away from unhealthy habits can add years onto your life.

No matter how old you are, or how much junk food you consume, it's never too late to start undoing the damage caused by a poor diet.

That's the message from scientists who study how our food choices affect our life spans and our risk of developing diseases. They have found that people can gain sizable health benefits at any age by cutting back on highly processed foods loaded with salt, sugar and other additives and replacing them with more nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, lentils, seafood and whole grains.

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