DZNE study: 10 diets all linked to slower biological aging — SkimNews
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- DZNE researchers analyzed roughly 7,500 people across two German cohorts — the Rhineland Study (6,470 participants) and the EPIC-Potsdam Study (1,034) — examining 10 dietary patterns including Mediterranean, Nordic, plant-based, and DASH.
- All 10 diets were associated with slower biological aging as measured by DNA methylation at approximately 850,000 sites — roughly twice as many as in most previous studies — using three epigenetic clocks.
- Lead author Juliana Tavares noted that 'hardly anyone counts as a healthy eater by every standard at once,' finding participants who scored well on one diet often scored poorly on another despite both being labeled healthy.
- In smokers, the link between healthier eating and slower biological aging was stronger than in nonsmokers — even though smokers did not generally eat healthier — possibly because smoking's damage leaves more room for measurable dietary improvement.
- More than 70% of affected biological pathways were shared across all 10 diets, involving cell structure, cell signaling, and metabolism, though diet-specific patterns emerged: DASH linked to heart-related pathways and the MIND diet linked to cognition and memory.
- Prof. Monique Breteler, head of the Rhineland Study, called the effects 'measurable and relevant for prevention,' suggesting slower biological aging could reduce risk of age-related diseases like dementia and cardiovascular disorders.
- The findings were published in Nature Communications, with Tavares emphasizing 'you don't need a perfect diet' and that diet-specific pathways 'point to future research on targeted dietary interventions.'
Why it matters: For the ~7,500 study participants and anyone planning meals, the takeaway is actionable: there is no single 'right' diet, so individuals can pick a healthy pattern that fits their culture, budget, and taste — and smokers may benefit disproportionately. The DZNE finding that 70% of affected biological pathways overlap across diets means dietary research can now focus on those shared mechanisms rather than re-proving each eating pattern from scratch.
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