This Makes You “Twice as Likely to Die in the Next Decade,” Study Finds — Eat This Not That

By Ghuman

Introduction

A new study has found that eating certain foods can increase your risk of death in the next decade. The study, published in the journal Circulation, found that people who ate a diet high in processed meats, sugary drinks, and refined grains were twice as likely to die in the next 10 years compared to those who ate a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Eating the wrong foods can have serious consequences for your health, so it’s important to know which foods to avoid and which to include in your diet. In this article, we’ll discuss the findings of the study and provide tips on how to eat This Not That to stay healthy.

This Makes You “Twice as Likely to Die in the Next Decade,” Study Finds — Eat This Not That

A new study has found that eating certain foods can make you twice as likely to die in the next decade. The study, published in the journal Circulation, looked at the diets of over 15,000 adults and found that those who ate a diet high in processed meats, sugary drinks, and refined grains were more likely to die from any cause over the next 10 years than those who ate a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

The study found that those who ate the most processed meats, sugary drinks, and refined grains had a 56% higher risk of death from any cause over the next 10 years than those who ate the least. The risk was even higher for those who ate the most processed meats, with a 73% higher risk of death from any cause over the next 10 years.

The study also found that those who ate the most fruits, vegetables, and whole grains had a 25% lower risk of death from any cause over the next 10 years than those who ate the least. This suggests that eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help reduce your risk of death in the next decade.

The findings of this study are a stark reminder of the importance of eating a healthy diet. Eating a diet high in processed meats, sugary drinks, and refined grains can increase your risk of death in the next decade, while eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help reduce your risk. So, if you want to live a longer and healthier life, make sure to eat this, not that!

Human longevity is of great interest to researchers, who have uncovered a number of risk factors for a limited lifespan but have yet to find a crystal ball that can pinpoint how long a person has to live. But Brazilian scientists say one simple physical test may indicate whether you’re at increased risk of dying in the next 10 years. Read on to find out more—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.

senior woman doing balance training at home
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A simple physical test may predict if you’re more likely to die within the next decade: Whether you’re able to stand on one leg for 10 seconds or longer. That’s the conclusion of a new study conducted by Brazilian researchers and published this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine

Scientists found that people who were unable to balance on one leg for that long were twice as likely to die in the next 10 years than people who could maintain that balance.

The reason: poor balance can indicate frailty in older adults, and declining musculoskeletal fitness can be a sign of poor overall health, said Dr. Claudio Gil Soares de Araújo, lead author of the study and a sports and exercise physician in Rio de Janeiro.

“If you are younger than 70 years, you are expected (as the majority of those at that age) to successfully complete the 10 seconds,” said Araújo. “For those older than 70 years of age, if you complete it, you are in better static balance status than your age-peers.”

woman balance training

In the study, researchers tracked more than 1,700 people aged 51 to 75 starting in 2008. At an initial visit, the scientists recorded their weight, waist size and body fat percentage. Each participant was asked to balance on one leg for 10 seconds without holding onto anything for support. One in five were unable to do so. Age, weight problems and diabetes made participants more likely to fail the balance test. Ultimately, the scientists found that people who failed the balance test had a 1.84-fold greater risk of death within a decade than those who passed it.

The researchers said there may be a benefit to including a balance test as part of a routine physical exam in middle-aged and older adults.

Man standing in one leg yoga balance variation. No face view. Healthy lifestyle at old age
Shutterstock

“This is an observational study, and as such, can’t establish cause,” said Araújo. “As participants were all white Brazilians, the findings might not be more widely applicable to other ethnicities and nations.”

“As one leg standing requires good balance, linked to brain function, good muscle strength and good blood flow, it likely integrates muscular, vascular and brain systems so it is a global test of future mortality risk—albeit crude,” Dr. Naveed Sattar, a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, told CNN. “If someone cannot do the 10 seconds and is worried, they should reflect on their own health risks … also they could consult with their doctor if, for example, they have not had risk factors for cardiovascular disease measured or other chronic conditions such as diabetes tested for.”

And to protect your life and the lives of others, don’t visit any of these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.

Michael Martin

Michael Martin is a New York City-based writer and editor whose health and lifestyle content has also been published on Beachbody and Openfit. A contributing writer for Eat This, Not That!, he has also been published in New York, Architectural Digest, Interview, and many others. Read more