Can your diet beat your genes? New study links five diets to longer life

Even if longevity does not run in your family, following one of five healthy diets could meaningfully increase life expectancy, according to new research

Genes may influence how long we live, but they do not act alone. According to a new study published in Science Advances, people who closely followed five well-established healthy diets lived significantly longer, regardless of their genetic risk for a shorter lifespan. The findings highlight how diet can modify inherited risk and reshape long-term health outcomes.

 

About the study

 

In the study titled 'Healthy dietary patterns, longevity genes, and life expectancy: A prospective cohort study,' researchers tracked the diets of more than 100,000 people over many years, using detailed questionnaires to assign dietary scores based on how closely individuals followed certain healthy eating patterns. They then compared life expectancy at age 45 among people with the lowest and highest adherence to those diets. Importantly, they also examined a person’s genetic risk score for longevity, a measure of how likely someone is to live longer based on their genetic makeup.

 

 

They concluded that people with healthy diets tend to live longer regardless of whether they had a genetic advantage or disadvantage, and in some cases, diet appeared to make a bigger difference than genes.

 

The 5 diets observed in the study

 

These are the dietary patterns that were associated with significant increases in life expectancy:

 

1. Alternate Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI) – Emphasises fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds; limits sugary drinks and red meat

2. Alternate Mediterranean Diet (AMED) – A version of the Mediterranean diet with an emphasis on plant foods, fish and healthy fats

3. Healthful Plant-Based Diet Index (hPDI) – Focuses heavily on whole plant foods and reduces animal products and processed foods

4. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) – Designed to lower blood pressure with lots of fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy

5. Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet (DRRD) – Aims to improve insulin sensitivity with high fibre, low-glycaemic foods and coffee, while limiting red and processed meats and sugary beverages

 

All five diets prioritise non-starchy vegetables, whole grains and legumes, while promoting healthy fats and limiting alcohol alongside red and processed meats, and research consistently links this pattern of eating to lower rates of chronic disease. High-fibre plant foods help nourish beneficial gut bacteria, healthy fats support and protect blood vessels, and reducing sugar intake lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Together, these effects contribute to a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, meaning a lower likelihood of dying from any cause.

 

How much longer could you live?

 

When researchers compared those in the top 20 per cent of adherence with those in the bottom, they found striking differences in life expectancy at age 45:

• Men lived on average 1.9 to 3 years longer
• Women lived on average 1.5 to 2.3 years longer

 

The associations remained strong even after adjusting for genetic susceptibility linked to longevity, showing that diet can offset genetic predispositions to some extent.

 

What this means for you

 

While you cannot change your genes, you can choose what you eat. Following any of the five diets highlighted in this research could help tilt the odds in your favour and boost both your lifespan and healthspan together.

 

Healthy eating is about making gradual changes that become lifelong habits, which is often more effective than drastic diets that are hard to sustain. Experts suggest starting with colourful vegetables, swapping refined carbohydrates for whole grains and replacing sugary drinks with water or coffee, and you may well be investing in years of healthier living.   

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This report is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.