Plant-Based Diets linked to Healthy Aging in Childhood Cancer Survivors, claims study

A recent study from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort identified specific plant-based dietary factors that influence premature aging in adult survivors of childhood cancer. The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology focused on the potential of tailored nutrition interventions to promote healthy aging in this population.

The study encompassed a total of 3,322 childhood cancer survivors aged 18 to 65 years and investigated the relationships between various plant foods and age-related deficit accumulation. Utilizing a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire helped assess the intake of total fruit, total vegetables, whole grains, refined grains, nuts or seeds and essential nutrients.

Premature aging was measured using the deficit accumulation index (DAI) and categorized participants into low, medium and high-risk groups. Dark green vegetable intake demonstrated a significant protective effect, with a 53% reduced risk of premature aging (ORhigh vs. low = 0.47). Also, higher intake of nuts and seeds were linked to a 29% lower risk (ORhigh vs. low = 0.71) and a linear regression analysis revealed a significant negative correlation (coefficient = -0.0115, P = .02). Increased refined grain intake was associated with a 33% higher risk of premature aging (ORhigh vs. low = 1.33) and a positive linear regression coefficient (0.0093, P = .005) supported this. Interestingly, fruit and whole grain consumption did not show any significant associations with premature aging risk.