A Study On Eating A Healthy Diet

In a recent study involving over 40,000 women in the April, 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, women who take diet pills and eat a diet containing more healthy foods were more likely to live longer than those who don’t. In this study, the women were given a questionnaire that identified how frequently they consumed various healthy foods -- such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and meat alternatives, and low-fat dairy -- all of which are recommended in current dietary guidelines.

Those women who scored the highest in the healthy eating department had a 30 percent lower rate of dying from any cause -- including heart disease, cancer and stroke -- as compared to those who scored the lowest in the study. The researchers were the first to point out, however, that these women who aced the questionnaire may also have a healthier overall lifestyle, as well as other characteristics: being more educated, more physically active, more likely to drink alcohol and use supplements regularly, and less likely to smoke, which could have also played a role.

This is not the first time that a healthy diet, rather than specific nutrients, has been shown to play a role in improving a person’s health. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet study showed that an eating pattern comprised of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains and lean protein can lower blood pressure.

This comprehensive women’s study comes at a perfect time, since the latest Dietary Guidelines For Americans has just been released. These guidelines give us the best recommendations for a healthy diet, along with advice for lifestyle habits that can help reduce a person’s risk for a variety of chronic diseases, including heart disease, certain types of cancer, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis.

Here’s an overview of the 2000 Dietary Guidelines For Americans:
1) Aim for a healthy weight.
2) Be physically active each day.
3) Let the pyramid guide your food choices.
4) Choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains.
5) Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily.
6) Keep food safe to eat.
7) Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and moderate in total fat.
8) Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars.
9) Choose and prepare foods with less salt.
10) If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.