Women, healthy diets, mobility and ageing

A newly published study in the American journal, Journal of Nutrition examined the association between healthy eating and physical function/mobility. 

The study from the Brigham and Women's hospital (BWH) a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School looked at how nutrition impacts on physical function as women age.

The study of almost 55,000 women used a commonly used standard instrument every 4 years for a total period of 16 years concluded that the women who maintained the healthiest diets, those eating the most vegetables and fruits, with the lowest intake of sugary drinks, trans-fats, sodium and alcohol were less likely to develop physical impairments compared to others. 

"We think a lot about chronic diseases, cancer and heart disease, we tend not to think of physical function.  Physical function is crucial as you age, it includes being able to get yourself dressed, walk around the block and could impact your ability to live independently" said Kaitlin Hagan ScD, MPH at BWH.