Flavonoid-rich foods linked to healthy ageing

Adults can achieve healthy ageing by consuming foods rich in flavonoids, according to a study.

Researchers followed up 23,687 males and 62,743 females (all aged at least 60 years) from the Nurses’ Health Study (1990–2014) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (2006–2018), respectively.

Food frequency questionnaires collected at baseline and every subsequent 4 years were used to calculate both time-updated and change in intakes of a flavodiet score (an aggregate of intakes of major flavonoid-rich foods and beverages) and individual flavonoid-rich foods and beverages and time-updated intakes of total flavonoids and flavonoid subclasses.

Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to explore the associations with incident frailty, impaired physical function, and poor mental health, assessed from self-reported questionnaire responses.

Participants in the Nurses’ Health Study with the highest flavodiet scores showed a 15-percent lower risk of frailty (hazard ratio [HR], 0.85, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.80–0.90), and 12-percent lower risk of impaired physical function (HR, 0.88, 95 percent CI, 0.91), and a 12-percent lower risk of poor mental health (HR, 0.88, 95 percent CI, 0.82–0.94) than those with the lowest scores.

Improved flavodiet scores and higher intakes of tea, red wine, apples, blueberries, and oranges were significantly associated with reduced risks of all outcomes. In addition, higher intakes of total flavonoids and their subclasses appeared to contribute to a lower risk of each outcome.

Notably, fewer associations were noted among males in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, but men with the highest flavodiet scores showed a reduced risk of poor mental health.

“Further research is needed, including examining sex-specific associations, as incorporating flavonoid-rich foods in the diet may be a simple strategy to support healthy ageing,” the researchers said.