Low-Fat, Plant-Based Diet May Slow Aging

Telomeres, DNA-protein complexes found on the ends of chromosomes, were shown to elongate among men who adopted a low-fat, plant-based diet, according to research led by Dean Ornish, M.D., and published in The Lancet Oncology. Telomeres are a marker of health and longevity.

Thirty-five low-risk prostate cancer patients were prescribed a low-fat, plant-based diet with a modest physical activity, stress management, and social support. After five years, the intervention group’s average telomere length increased, while the control group who made no lifestyle changes experienced a decrease in average telomere length. This is the first study to show that lifestyle changes can lengthen telomeres over time.