A Meditterranean diet could help the older generation
Changes are driven by increases in fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Eating a Mediterranean diet could help older people stave off frailty and keep sharp, researchers have found.
A diet rich in fruit and veg, olive oil and fish boosts bacteria in the gut linked to healthy ageing and reduces bacteria linked to inflammation, experts from five countries said.
Following this type of diet could help curb the advance of frailty and cognitive decline, the researchers suggested.
Previous studies suggest a restrictive diet, common in older people, reduces the diversity of microbiome in the gut.
Experts from the UK, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland wanted to see if following a Mediterranean diet for a year could improve participants' microbiome.
They analysed the gut microbiome of 612 people aged between 65 and 79, in the five countries before and after a year of sticking to their existing diet or switching to a Mediterranean one.
The new diet was rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, olive oil and fish and low in red meat and saturated fats, and was tailored to older people.
Published: by Radio NewsHub