Diets rich in plant protein may help women stay healthy as they age
A new Tufts University-led study found women who ate more plant-based protein developed fewer chronic diseases and were generally healthier later in life
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION OF A SERVING OF NUTS, APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE OF A GOLF BALL.
view moreCREDIT: ALONSO NICHOLS/TUFTS UNIVERSITY
Women who consume higher amounts of protein, especially protein from plant-based sources, develop fewer chronic diseases and are more likely to be healthier overall as they age, according to a study led by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University and published Jan. 17 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Analyzing self-reported data from more than 48,000 women, the researchers saw notably less heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and cognitive and mental health decline, in those who included more protein in their diets from sources such as fruits, vegetables, bread, beans, legumes, and pasta, compared to those who ate less.
“Consuming protein in midlife was linked to promoting good health in older adulthood,” said Andres Ardisson Korat, a scientist at the HNRCA and lead author of the study. “We also found that the source of protein matters. Getting the majority of your protein from plant sources at midlife, plus a small amount of animal protein seems to be conducive to good health and good survival to older ages.”
Findings were derived from the seminal Harvard-based Nurses’ Health Study, which followed female health care professionals from 1984 to 2016. The women were between the ages of 38 and 59 in 1984 and deemed to be in good physical and mental health at the start of the study.
Ardisson Korat and fellow researchers, including senior author Qi Sun of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, examined thousands of surveys collected every four years from 1984 to 2016 on how frequently people ate certain foods to pinpoint dietary protein and its effects on healthy aging. They calculated protein intake by multiplying the number of times each food item was consumed by its protein content and then, using the Harvard University Food Composition Database, totaling the amount of protein across all food items.
The researchers then compared the diets of women who didn’t develop 11 chronic diseases or lose a lot of physical function or mental health, with the diets of those who did. Women who ate more plant-based protein, which in 1984 was defined as protein obtained from bread, vegetables, fruits, pizza, cereal, baked items, mashed potatoes, nuts, beans, peanut butter, and pasta, were 46 percent more likely to be healthy into their later years. Those who consumed more animal protein such as beef, chicken, milk, fish/seafood, and cheese, however, were 6 percent less likely to stay healthy as they aged.
“Those who consumed greater amounts of animal protein tended to have more chronic disease and didn’t manage to obtain the improved physical function that we normally associate with eating protein,” said Ardisson Korat.
Animal protein was modestly tied with fewer physical limitations in older age, but plant protein had a stronger, more consistent correlation across all observed models, and was more closely linked with sound mental health later in life. For heart disease in particular, higher plant protein consumption came with lower levels of LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol), blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity, while higher animal protein intake was tied to higher levels, along with increased insulin-like growth factor, which has been detected in multiple cancers.
Dairy protein alone (mainly milk, cheese, pizza, yogurt, and ice cream) was not significantly associated with better health status in older adulthood.
The team acknowledged that the benefits of plant protein might derive from components in plant-based food, rather than the protein—compared to animal foods, plants contain a higher proportion of dietary fiber, micronutrients, and beneficial compounds called polyphenols that are present in plants, rather than exclusively protein.
Ardisson Korat also said data from other groups is needed, as the Nurses’ Health Study surveyed primarily white females working in health care. “The data from the study tended to be very homogeneous in terms of demographic and socioeconomic composition, so it will be valuable to follow up with a study in cohorts that are more diverse. It’s a field that is still evolving,” said Ardisson Korat.
But the team’s findings so far support the recommendation that women eat most of their protein in the form of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, although they should also consume some fish and animal protein for their iron and vitamin B12 content.
“Dietary protein intake, especially plant protein, in midlife plays an important role in the promotion of healthy aging and in maintaining positive health status at older ages,” Ardisson Korat said.
Research reported in this article was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, and by the National Institutes of Health under award numbers UM1CA186107 (National Cancer Institute), P01CA87969 (National Cancer Institute), R01DK120870 (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases), U2CDK129670 (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases), R01DK127601 (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases), R01HL060712 (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute), R01HL034594 (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute), R01HL035464 (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute), and R01HL088521 (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute). Andres Ardisson Korat was supported by training grant KL2TR002545 from the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Complete information on authors, funders, limitations and conflicts of interest is available in the published paper. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the National Institutes of Health.
JOURNAL
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
17-Jan-2024
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition launches new article series to educate physicians and other health care professionals on nutrition
Rockville, MD (January 16, 2024) – To educate physicians and other health care professionals on the fundamentals of nutrition, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has launched a new article series titled Nutrition for the Clinician. The effort supports the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health and its directives to expand nutrition knowledge of health care providers, an effort long supported by the American Society for Nutrition. Nancy Krebs, MD, MS, Professor of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, is the Associate Editor for the series.
Through case-based learning, Nutrition for the Clinician provides continuing education that enhances clinical reasoning and use of the best nutrition evidence in practice. Each clinical case will feature a clearly identified nutrition problem and defined learning objectives. Cases will be published in the journal’s regular issues periodically throughout the year.
“Nutrition plays a pivotal role in health and disease,” stated Christopher Duggan, MD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “By presenting nutritional challenges seen in hospital and outpatient care and describing evidence-based treatment approaches, we hope physicians will gain a deeper understanding of how nutrition significantly impacts patient outcomes, as well as see firsthand the clinical reasoning process of top clinicians.”
Titled “A Perfect Storm in a Pandemic – A Child with Complex Medical History and Special Diet Encounters COVID,” the inaugural case highlights a six-year-old child with undernutrition and acute COVID-19 infection.
Authors Nancy Krebs, MD and Stephanie Waldrop, MD (University of Colorado) provide medical history, laboratory results, and clinical findings and offer commentary and questions to guide readers through the case. The authors analyze the differential diagnosis and treatment considerations at the outset and reassess them as new data emerges over the course of care.
The case is freely accessible at the following link: https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(23)66234-3/fulltext. The American Society for Nutrition is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The ASN designates this activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. For details on claiming CME credit for reading Nutrition for the Clinician, click here.
“Having knowledge of nutrition is important for all medical specialists, yet studies have shown that nutrition education and training in medical schools and residency programs is lacking,” expressed Kevin Schalinske, PhD, President, American Society for Nutrition. “We hope this new resource will pique the interest of physicians and advanced practice providers and inspire them to learn more about nutrition care in clinical practice.” Dietitians also may find interest in the range of medical scenarios and accompanying nutritional diagnostics and therapies presented.
The AJCN welcomes contributions to this new series from both individual providers and interprofessional teams. Prospective authors can direct pre-submission inquiries to ajcn.editorialoffice@jjeditorial.com.
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About The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, one of the most influential journals in biology and medicine, publishes research in human nutrition and fosters the application of science into clinical practice. Topics include high-impact clinical, observational, public health, and epidemiologic studies in all areas of nutrition including obesity and metabolism; micronutrients; body composition; and nutrition in clinical settings. Genetic and novel precision nutrition approaches are featured. Visit us online at ajcn.nutrition.org or follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @AJCNutrition #AJCN.
About the American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) is the preeminent professional organization for scientists and clinicians around the world. Founded in 1928, the society brings together the top nutrition researchers, medical practitioners, policy makers and industry leaders to advance the science, education, and practice of nutrition, reaching more than 55 million people annually. ASN publishes four peer-reviewed journals and provides education and professional development opportunities year-round. Since 2018, the American Society of Nutrition has presented NUTRITION, the leading global annual meeting for nutrition professionals. Visit us at www.nutrition.org.
JOURNAL
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
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