Flavonoid-rich foods may fuel healthier aging
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Researchers evaluated data from more than 86,400 adults ages 60 and older (73% women), who were tracked for more than 24 years. Participants completed food frequency questionnaires at the study’s start and every subsequent four years, and also reported any experiences with frailty, impaired physical function, or poor mental health. Women who consumed the highest amounts of flavonoids had a 15% lower risk of frailty, 12% lower risk of impaired physical function, and 12% lower risk of poor mental health compared with women with the lowest flavonoid intake. In men, higher flavonoid consumption was associated with only a lower risk of poor mental health.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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