Staying Healthy
Adding more olive oil to your diet may help prevent an early death
Research we're watching
Adding some olive oil to your diet may help you live longer, according a new study by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
The study, published online Jan. 10, 2022, by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that people who consumed higher amounts of olive oil had a lower risk of dying during a 28-year follow-up period compared with people who rarely or never consumed olive oil.
The researchers used data on more than 90,000 men and women from two large studies. All the participants were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at the start. They were asked to complete dietary questionnaires every four years. Over all, 36,856 of them died over the course of the studies. Those who routinely consumed the most olive oil — averaging more than half a tablespoon a day — had the lowest risk of dying during the study period. They had:
- a 19% lower overall risk of death
- a 19% lower risk of cardiovascular-related disease
- a 17% lower risk cancer-related death
- a 29% lower risk of death related to a neurodegenerative condition
- an 18% lower risk of death related to a respiratory disease.
Olive oil may bring even more health benefits when used as a substitute for products containing animal fat, such as butter, said the study authors.
Image: Gary Yeowell/Getty Images
About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
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