This presentation discusses the role of diet in aging and longevity. It provides several examples of foods that are linked to reduced risk of diseases like heart disease and cancer. Eating a Mediterranean-style diet of vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts and olive oil is associated with 70% reduced mortality compared to a standard American Heart Association diet. Following a healthy diet, being at a healthy weight, not smoking, and regular exercise can help men live 8.5 years longer and women live 15 years longer on average.

1. Click on the left mouse button
to continue
On
food and aging

2. This presentation takes only 2 minutes…
but may add a lot of years to your lifespan.

3. Did you know…
that food plays an
important role in the
aging process?

4. And that food can drastically decrease (or
increase) your risk of aging-related diseases
like cardiovascular disease, diabetes or
dementia?

5. A few examples….

6. Walnuts
People who eat 1 handful of
walnuts per day, had 45% less
chance of a heart attack.
According to a large study with
120 000 participants.
Source: Nut consumption and risk of coronary heart disease. Current Atherosclerosis Reports, 1999

7. Broccoli
Source: Breast cancer risk in premenopausal women. Journal of Nutrition, 2004
Women who consume at least
2 pounds (1 kilogram) of
broccoli per month had 40%
less risk of breast cancer.
(compared to women who eat less than
350 grams or 12 ounces broccoli per
month)

8. Chocolate
Regularly eating dark chocolate was linked to
37% less risk of a heart attack.
Source: Chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-
analysis. British Medical Journal, 2011
Already 10 grams of dark chocolate
(containing more than 70% cacao)
per day is enough to improve heart
health. This is a EU approved health
claim.

9. Omega-3 fatty acids
Women who eat fatty fish
once a week, had 53% less
risk of rheumatoid
arthritis...
Source: Long-term intake of dietary long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of rheumatoid
arthritis: a prospective cohort study of women. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases - British Medical
Journal (2013).
Some examples of fatty fish are
salmon, mackerel, herring,
anchovy, ….

10. Soft drinks
• Drinking 1 soft drink a
day raises your risk of a
heart attack by 43% and
ups the risk of diabetes
by at least 22%.
Sources: Diet soft drink consumption is associated with an increased risk of vascular events in the Northern
Manhattan Study, Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2012 // Consumption of sweet beverages and type
2 diabetes incidence in European adults: results from EPIC-InterAct. Diabetologia 2013

11. Fruit and vegetable juice
People who drink at least 3
glasses of fruit or vegetable
juice per week had 76% less
risk of Alzheimer’s.
2 glasses of juice per week brought
about a reduction of only 16%... So
routine is important!
Don’t drink commercial (store-bought) fruit juices,
because they contain lots of added sugars and hardly
any fiber. Make your own fresh fruit and vegetable
smoothies instead, with the fiber.
Source: Fruit and vegetable juices
and Alzheimer's disease, The
American Journal of Medicine, 2006

12. Green tea
• 57% less risk of colon
cancer
• 21% less risk of a stroke (3
small cups per day).
Sources: Prospective cohort study of green tea consumption and colorectal cancer risk in women.
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2007
Green and black tea consumption and risk of stroke: a meta-analysis. Stroke, 2009

13. White tea
Slows down the
appearance of
wrinkles by inhibiting
collagenases that
break down the
collagen in the skin as
we grow older.
Source: Anti-collagenase, anti-elastase and anti-oxidant activities of extracts from 21 plants, Biomedcentral,
2009

14. In short,
how much longer would you live
when you eat healthily?

15. Well, there was a large study…
• in which one group ate healthily following a
mediterranean diet (vegetables, fruits, fish,
nuts, olive oil, red wine in moderation, …)
• and the other group followed the official
low-fat diet from the American Heart
Association.
The result?

16. 70% less mortality in the group that
followed the mediterranean diet!
The study was aborted after 2,5 years
because it would be ‘unethical’ to let
people continue the official low-fat
American Heart Association diet…
Source: Lyon diet heart study. Circulation, 2001

17. Another study…

18. … with 120 000 participants showed that when you
1. eat healthily (fish, nuts, vegetables, fruits,
dark chocolate, red wine in moderation, little
fast sugars or red meat, …)
2. are not overweight
3. don’t smoke
4. exercise regularly…

19. men live 8,5 years
longer…
and women live 15
years longer on
avarage.
Moreover, the healthy life span (the time that you are not afflicted
with serious chronic diseases) is almost the double of these
numbers…
Source: The impact of a Mediterranean diet and healthy lifestyle on premature mortality in men
and women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2011

20. In short,
living healthily pays off!
(and isn’t difficult)

21. THE END
This presentation is based on ‘The food
hourglass’, the international bestseller
about diet and aging.
www.foodhourglass.com

22. Some topics covered in The food
hourglass:
• Why most diets are unhealthy.
• Why antioxdiants don’t slow down the
aging process.
• Why white tea reduces the appearance
of wrinkles and is healthy for your blood
vessels at the same time.
• Why many fats are nonetheless good
for your heart and your brain.

23. “In a fluent and readable style of
writing, this doctor critically
exposes the link between our
genetically determined aging
process and our diet. This is
highly recommended for anyone
who consciously wants to eat
more healthily.”
Herman Becq , MD, endocrinologist
“Governments and public
health institutions worrying
about trends like the aging of
populations worldwide and
skyrocketing healthcare costs
are strongly advised to read
The food hourglass. The
simple but thoroughly
substantiated solution lies in
healthier eating and living.”
Reinier Evers, Trendwatcher of the
Year, founder of
Trendwatching.com

24. Interesting?
Send this presentation on to family and friends
Or to anyone whose health you want
to improve

25. For more information on diet
and aging go to
www.foodhourglass.com

26. Sources
The food hourglass – On weight loss and longevity, Dr Kris Verburgh, 2014
Fruit and vegetable juices and Alzheimer's disease, The American Journal of Medicine, 2006
Nut consumption and risk of coronary heart disease. Current Atherosclerosis Reports, 1999
Breast cancer risk in premenopausal women. Journal of Nutrition, 2004
Diet soft drink consumption is associated with an increased risk of vascular events in the Northern Manhattan Study, Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2012
Chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Medical Journal, 2011
Prospective cohort study of green tea consumption and colorectal cancer risk in women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2007
Green and black tea consumption and risk of stroke: a meta-analysis. Stroke, 2009
Anti-collagenase, anti-elastase and anti-oxidant activities of extracts from 21 plants, Biomedcentral, 2009
Early protection against sudden death by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids after myocardial infarction. Circulation, 2002
The impact of a Mediterranean diet and healthy lifestyle on premature mortality in men and women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2011
This presentation may not be changed by others (distributing this presentation is allowed).
©2015
Illustrations:
Broccoli: Wikimedia, GNU Free Documentation License.
Dark chocolate: John Loo , Flickr/WikiCommons
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation
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Other illustrations: Pixmac