The eating habits you embrace in your 40s can significantly influence how you feel in your 70s and beyond – both physically and mentally.

A healthy diet not only reduces the risks of many chronic diseases but also leads to healthier aging, allowing you to enjoy a good quality of life and live independently for longer. For instance, recent studies have shown that healthier eating across a variety of diets can lead to better living in later years. Several well-known diets were better at promoting healthy aging, including ones similar to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Mediterranean diet, and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

People who ate healthier in midlife, especially those whose diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, “were significantly more likely to achieve healthy aging,” said Anne-Julie Tessier, PhD, a research associate in nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She presented the study at the annual American Society for Nutrition meeting in July. On the other hand, healthy aging was less likely in people whose diets were high in trans fats, sodium, and meat consumption in general, as well as red meats and processed meats in particular.

Tessier and colleagues examined data from more than 106,000 people between 1986 and 2016, and even after accounting for things like physical activity, tobacco use, and alcohol use, they found a link between a healthy diet and healthy aging overall, including physical health, thinking skills, and mental health. “Traditionally, research and dietary guidelines have focused on preventing chronic diseases like heart disease,” she said. “Our study provides evidence for dietary recommendations to consider not only disease prevention but also promoting overall healthy aging as a long-term goal.”

Eating a high-quality diet – one that closely aligns with the government’s 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans – can also lead to better brain functioning and less decline in mental skills as you age. In a study of 3,000 people followed for 7 decades, those with the highest cognitive abilities – or best thinking skills – over time tended to eat more vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. They also consumed less sodium, added sugars, and refined grains.