Diet and overall survival in elderly people
BMJPublished 2 December 1995Open access
Antonia Trichopoulou, Antigone Kouris‐Blazos, Mark L. Wahlqvist, Charalambos Gnardellis, P. Lagiou, Evangelos Polychronopoulos
Citations1,280
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TL;DR
A diet meeting currently understood health criteria does predict survival among people, according to the results of an international cross cultural study of food habits in later life.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of a specific dietary pattern on overall survival. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Three rural Greek villages, the data from which were collected as part of an international cross cultural study of food habits in later life. SUBJECTS: 182 elderly residents of the three villages. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Overall mortality. RESULTS: Diet was assessed with a validated extensive semiquantitative questionnaire on food intake. A one unit increase in diet score, devised a priori on the basis of eight component characteristics of the traditional common diet in the Mediterranean region, was associated with a significant 17% reduction in overall mortality (95% confidence interval 1% to 31%). CONCLUSION: A diet meeting currently understood health criteria does predict survival among people.
Keywords
MedicineNursing
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