Loose Women: Dr Hilary discusses how to live longer
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Longevity inspires an almost supernatural sense of wonder. What alchemy explains why some people live to see 100 and beyond? Do not look to divinity for the answer: science is coming up with increasingly compelling answers. A recent study suggests the timing of your evening meal matters.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, focussed on the region of Abruzzo in the centre of Italy.
The region is among the top areas of Italy for the number of nonagenarians (those aged between 90 and 99) and centenarians (those aged 100).
Particularly, the province of L’Aquila shows a high rate of nonagenarians and an extremely higher number of centenarians, compared with the Italian average, with the highest numbers occurring in the most rural, internal areas of the region, explains the study’s researchers.
One of the main objectives of their research was to ascertain the meal timings of the region’s nonagenarians and centenarians.
According to the researchers, recent findings showed the role of late-night eating in metabolic disorders, highlighting the importance of meal timing for health.
They acknowledged that “no evidence is available on the role of meal timing for longevity”.
To remedy this, they conducted a survey on the meal timing and dietary habits of 68 nonagenarians and centenarians of the Abruzzo region, Italy. Other lifestyle information was obtained too, such as levels of physical activity.
Results showed a tendency among the population to have an early dinner, averaging around 7:13pm.
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Other factors may be at play too. The researchers observed a general adherence to calorie restriction lasting for 17.5 hours between dinner and the following lunch.
The frequency of consumption was also high for cereals, vegetables, fruits, and legumes; low for meat, processed meat, and eggs; and negligible for sweets.
What’s more, subjects were physically active throughout life.
The researchers concluded: “Our results support the importance of a daily caloric restriction lapse, hampering nocturnal postprandial stress and optimising metabolic response, associated with high consumption of plant-based foods and physical activity for the longevity of centenarians from Abruzzo.”
General tips for living well
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best.
This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
The Eatwell Guide shows that to have a healthy, balanced diet, people should try to:
- Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day
- Base meals on higher fibre starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
- Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks)
- Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein
- Choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in small amounts
- Drink plenty of fluids (at least six to eight glasses a day).
According to the NHS, if you’re having foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar, have these less often and in small amounts.
“Try to choose a variety of different foods from the five main food groups to get a wide range of nutrients,” advises the health body.
It points out that most people in the UK eat and drink too many calories, too much saturated fat, sugar and salt, and not enough fruit, vegetables, oily fish or fibre.
Saturated fat is associated with high cholesterol – a precursor to heart disease.
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