High-quality carbohydrates in midlife may keep women healthier as they age
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
The type and quality of carbohydrates women eat in their 40s and 50s may significantly influence how well we age decades later, according to a Harvard-led analysis published in May 2025 by JAMA Network Open.
Tracking more than 47,500 women (average age 49 at the start) for more than 30 years, researchers compared the types of carbohydrates participants reported eating in midlife with their likelihood of staying healthy as they got older. (Healthy aging was defined as having good mental health; no major chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, or diabetes; no memory or thinking problems; and no physical impediments.)
They found that women who ate more high-quality carbohydrates — which include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes — were between 6% and 37% more likely to remain healthy as they aged. Conversely, those who ate more refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, sugary snacks, and potatoes, were 13% less likely to age healthfully. The findings are consistent with other evidence linking the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes with lower risks of chronic diseases, the study authors said.
Image: © Sam Barnes/Getty Images
About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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