Study finds flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods like blueberries are associated with healthy aging

A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutritionfound that eating blueberries and other flavonoid-rich foods may support healthy aging, including a lowered risk for poor mental health. 

The study, led by researchers from Queen’s University, Belfast N. Ireland; Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; and Rush University Medical Center, highlights the associations between the intake of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods, including blueberries, and three indicators of healthy aging (frailty, impaired physical function and poor mental health).

“Our large study of over 85,000 men and women over age 60 suggests that incorporating more flavonoid-rich foods like blueberries, strawberries, apples, oranges and tea into your diet supports healthier aging. From a public health standpoint, a modest yet achievable adjustment, involving an increase of 3 servings per day in flavonoid-rich foods, translated to a 6% to 11% lower risk across the healthy aging indicators in women, and a 15% lower risk of poor mental health in men,” said Aedín Cassidy, Ph.D., nutrition and preventive medicine chair, and director for interdisciplinary research, Queen’s University Belfast and The Institute for Global Food Security.

To conduct the study, researchers used data from two U.S.-wide prospective cohort studies known as the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). The study followed 62,743 females from 1990-2014, and 23,687 males from 2006-2018, and included their data when they reached 60 years or older. Dietary flavonoid intake was calculated from food frequency questionnaires collected at the time participants started and every four years over 24 years for the NHS, and over 12 years for the HPFS.

Every four years, participants also completed health surveys to assess conditions related to frailty, including fatigue, poor strength, reduced aerobic capacity, presence of chronic illnesses and weight loss. Physical impairment was assessed based on questions related to physical limitations in performing various moderate and vigorous activities. Mental health was assessed and scored using questions from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression and the Geriatric Depression Scale.

In the NHS, intakes of total flavonoids, compared to the lowest, was associated with a 15% lower risk of frailty, a 12% lower risk of developing impaired physical function, and a 12% lower risk of developing poor mental health. A lowered risk of these outcomes was also associated

with higher habitual intake of specific foods and beverages: tea, red wine, apples, blueberries and oranges. In the males of the HPFS, high intakes of tea and blueberries, and moderate intake of red wine, was associated with a lowered risk of poor mental health, but there were no associations between average intakes of any other flavonoid-rich foods and either frailty or impaired physical function.

The researchers also looked at changes due to a decrease in consumption of flavonoid-rich foods. In the NHS, the greatest decrease in intakes of tea, blueberries and apples were associated with a 7%, 31% and 16% higher risk of developing frailty, respectively. Increasing intakes of blueberries by 0.5 serving per day was associated with a 12% lower risk of frailty.

A limitation of the study is that it only focused on middle-aged and older women and men who were predominately white. Future studies in diverse population groups with broader intakes of flavonoid-rich foods are needed.

This research contributes to the growing evidence that consuming flavonoid-rich foods, such as blueberries, throughout one’s life is an important part of a healthy diet.

“Our findings underscore the potential for simple dietary modifications to impact overall quality of life and contribute to healthy aging,” Cassidy explained.

19.03.2025

Source: U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council