Why Do People in Japan Live Longer?

The Japanese diet is known for its balance and serving the right portion size. A lots of studies have shown that Japanese people are more likely to reach 100 years old than anyone else in the world. Researchers attribute this to their super-healthy diet.

A new study supports the same and suggests that if you follow a Japanese diet, you may live longer. How? Following a Japanese diet can reduce the risk of death from all causes and death from cardiovascular disease, particularly stroke. It involves a balanced consumption of grains, sea vegetables, fruits, fish and meat which can contribute to a higher life expectancy.

In 2005, the Japanese government a Japanese food guide to illustrate the balance and quantity of food in the daily Japanese diet. The results of the study showed that both men and women with higher scores on the food guide, which indicates better adherence, were found to have a 15 per cent lower total mortality rate over 15 years. The lower mortality rate can be the result of a reduction in cerebrovascular disease deaths, the researchers pointed out.

According to Kayo Kurotani, researcher at the National Centre for Global Health and Medicine in Japan, “Our findings suggest that balanced consumption of energy, grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, eggs, soy products and dairy products can contribute to longevity by decreasing the risk of death, predominantly from cardiovascular disease.”

The study, published by The BMJ, examines the relation between adherence to the food guide and total and cause specific mortality. The team used data from detailed food and lifestyle questionnaires completed by 36,624 men and 42,920 women aged 45-75. None of the participants had a history of cancer, stroke, heart disease or chronic liver disease – and each were followed for 15 years.

[“source-ndtv”]