2023-05-11 09:00:00
Eating healthy would have a similar effect to that of playing sports? Yes, according to the results of a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiologya journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
A quality diet increases physical fitness
According to the researchers, a healthy diet – of the Mediterranean type that gives pride of place to plants, good fats and fresh unprocessed foods – would be equivalent to taking 4,000 more steps each day in terms of health benefits. This number of steps corresponds to walking environ 3km.
Until now it was known that a nutritious and quality diet was associated with many health benefits, but it was not yet clear whether it is also linked to physical fitness, explain the scientists.
To carry out their work, they relied on data from the 2,380 people who participated in the study. Framingham Heart Studywhich analyzes familial patterns of cardiovascular and other diseases.
Eating well: the Mediterranean diet is the reference
The average age was 54 years and 54% of the participants were women. They underwent a maximum cardiopulmonary exercise test on a bicycle to measure peak “VO2”, which indicates the amount of oxygen used during the highest possible intensity exercise.
They also completed a questionnaire regarding their eating habits to assess the consumption of 126 foods over the past year, ranging from “Never” or “less than once a month To “six or more servings a day”.
A high score on this questionnaire indicated a higher quality diet emphasizing vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish and healthy fats, and limiting red meat and alcohol. This diet is typical of the Mediterranean diet, recognized for its health benefits.
Like sport, diet has a significant impact on metabolism
For the author of the study, Dr. Michael Mi, of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston in the United States, the observation is clear: “In middle-aged adults, healthy eating habits are strongly and favorably associated with physical fitness, even following accounting for usual activity levels. The relationship was similar in women and men, and more pronounced in those under 54 than in older adults.“
The study also sheds light on the impact of a quality diet on metabolites – substances produced during digestion and released into the blood during exercise:”A healthy diet is associated with better metabolic health, which might be a way to improve fitness and exercise capacity”, says Dr. Mi.
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