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01.03.2025

Physical activity enhances the life-extending effect of an anti-inflammatory diet

A diet with a relatively high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, herbs such as turmeric and thyme, fruit and vegetables, tea and coffee, minerals such as magnesium and zinc and vitamins such as vitamins C and D inhibits inflammation. Such a diet in itself reduces the risk of premature death, but this effect becomes even stronger if you exercise intensively on a regular basis.

Study
Chinese cardiologists analyzed data from 16,068 adult Americans who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES] from 2007 to 2014.

The study participants completed questionnaires about their diets. Based on these, the cardiologists were able to calculate how much energy, carbohydrates, protein, fat, saturated fat, n-3 fatty acids, n-6 fatty acids, fiber, alcohol, cholesterol, niacin, iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium, folic acid, beta-carotene, caffeine, and vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, A, C, D, and E the study participants consumed.

Using this information, the cardiologists calculated the dietary inflammatory index of the study participants' diets. You can read more about what that means here and here.

The study participants also reported how often and for how long they engaged in intensive physical activity. Based on this, the cardiologists divided the study participants into two groups - one that was intensively active for less than 75 minutes a week in their free time and one that was intensively active for more than 75 minutes a week.

The Chinese were able to follow the study participants for an average of 8.5 years. During this period, 1904 study participants died. A quarter of them died as a result of a heart or vascular disease.

Results
The study participants with an anti-inflammatory diet - and therefore a low dietary inflammatory index - had about a 20 percent lower risk of dying than the study participants with a pro-inflammatory diet. This fits with what we now know about the anti-inflammatory diet.

Click on the figures below for a larger version.

Study participants with a lifestyle with relatively much intensive physical exertion [sufficient vigorous LTPA] had a 30 percent lower chance of dying. This was also to be expected.

The researchers then calculated the effect of the combination of an anti-inflammatory diet and a lifestyle with relatively much physical exertion. This combination reduced the chance of dying by 50 percent. An anti-inflammatory diet and exercise therefore reinforce each other's positive effects on life expectancy.

However, the Chinese also discovered that intense exercise cannot erase the negative effects of a pro-inflammatory diet.

Source:
Eur J Nutr. 2024 Dec 12;64(1):45.

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