Healthy Diets with Whole Grains Improve Longevity in Low Income Minorities

Minorities and low-income populations are often underrepresented in nutrition studies, but new research indicates that healthy diets with whole grains can benefit all of us, including underserved populations. In this study, researchers examined the diets and medical records of over 77,000 people from 12 states in the southeastern US, most of whom were low-income and African American. Researchers found that those most closely adhering to a healthy diet (including at least 1 ½ servings of whole grains per day) had a 14-23% lower death rate from all diseases, heart disease, cancer, and more. Additionally, while overall dietary patterns are the best way to assess health, whole grains specifically were associated with a lower death risk (as were dairy, seafood, and plant proteins).
PLOS Medicine. 2015 May 26;12(5):e1001830; discussion e1001830. (Yu D et al.)