Diet quality, key to reducing the risk of chronic diseases

A study led by researchers from the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) concludes that The quality of macronutrients is more decisive than their quantity to prevent the simultaneous appearance of several chronic diseases.

Work, based on monitoring for more than ten years of more than 112,000 adultsshows that diets low in carbohydrates or fat are only associated with health benefits when they are supported by macronutrients of high nutritional quality, according to the UAM in a statement.

This is the conclusion of a study led by researchers from the Department of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Microbiology of the Autonomous University of Madrid, which analyzes, over more than a decade, the relationship between different dietary patterns and the risk of multimorbidity in middle-aged and elderly adults.

Multimorbidity – defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic diseases in the same person, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, depression or dementia– is an increasingly common condition in aging populations. Its increasing prevalence represents a challenge for health systems, since it is associated with a worse quality of life, greater dependency and an increase in health spending.

The study, published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series Aprospectively evaluated the relationship between low carbohydrate diets (LCD) and low fat diets (LFD) and the risk of multimorbidity. Unlike previous research, the work did not focus solely on the quantity of macronutrients, but also on their nutritional quality, distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy versions of these dietary guidelines.

To do this, the researchers analyzed data from 112,710 people between 40 and 70 years old from the UK Biobank cohort, with a follow-up of more than ten years. During this period, the appearance of multimorbidity was evaluated, defined as the presence of at least two of nine previously selected chronic diseases.

Prioritize quality macronutrients

The results show that, in general terms, following a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet It is not associated by itself with a greater or lesser risk of developing multimorbidity. However, when these diets are based on macronutrients of low nutritional quality, the risk increases significantly.

Specifically, patterns characterized by greater consumption of proteins of animal origin and low-quality fats were associated with a higher likelihood of developing multiple chronic diseases. In contrast, diets that prioritize higher-quality macronutrients, such as plant-based proteins, were associated with lower risk.

These findings reinforce the idea that not only the quantity, but also the quality of macronutrients plays a key role in healthy aging. “Our results indicate that it is not enough to reduce or increase certain macronutrients in the diet; it is essential to take their quality into account,” explains UAM predoctoral researcher and first author of the study, Aitana Vázquez Fernández.

“Opt for healthier sources of these macronutrients could help reduce the risk of develop multiple chronic diseases as we get older,” he says.

The work has been carried out in collaboration with researchers Humberto Yévenes-Briones, Ana Baylin, Francisco Félix Caballero and Esther López-García.