protein intake

Early Biomarkers, Risk Factors, and Functional Indicators of Healthy Longevity and Their Relationship with Diet

22 May 2026

Martini D, Rondanelli M, Morelli L, Landi F.

Summary

What the study found

This review highlights that healthy longevity depends on maintaining metabolic, physical, and cognitive functions through early dietary intervention. Researchers found that high-quality, nutrient-dense diets are essential for managing early risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol while supporting long-term brain and muscle health.

Key findings

Mediterranean and plant-rich dietary models are the most effective at providing essential longevity nutrients like fiber, polyphenols, and healthy fats.
Adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and B vitamins is strongly associated with better cardiometabolic, cognitive, and musculoskeletal outcomes.
A diverse gut microbiota serves as a bridge between diet and health, influencing everything from sleep quality to systemic inflammation.
Widespread nutrition gaps, particularly in fiber and micronutrients, are major contributors to the decline of physical and cognitive performance over time.

Practical takeaways

Prioritize a diet centered on whole, plant-based foods like vegetables, legumes, and nuts to ensure sufficient fiber and polyphenol intake. Supplementing this with fermented foods and moderate animal proteins can help maintain the gut health and metabolic stability necessary for a longer, healthier life.

Limitations

The study notes that individual responses to diet vary significantly, making universal recommendations difficult. More research is needed to determine the specific causal pathways between certain gut bacteria and long-term aging outcomes.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Healthy longevity depends on not only lifespan but also the maintenance of physiological, metabolic, physical, and cognitive functions throughout aging. Identifying early determinants of health is crucial for preventing age-related decline. This narrative review aims to synthesize current evidence on how diet and specific nutrients relate to these early risk factors and indicators of healthy longevity. Methods: A review was performed to identify the links between dietary factors, energy balance, and gut microbiota composition and normal body weight; blood cholesterol, pressure, and glucose; healthy sleep; an active lifestyle; and normal physical function and cognitive performance. Particular attention was given to Mediterranean and other plant-based dietary models as sources of key nutrients. Evidence from observational studies, randomized controlled trials, and meta-analyses was considered. Results: Across all markers, dietary quality and nutrient adequacy emerged as consistent determinants of health outcomes. Key nutrients were associated with favorable cardiometabolic, cognitive, and musculoskeletal functions, such as omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, vitamins D and B, minerals like magnesium and potassium, and polyphenols. Common nutrition gaps included insufficient intake of fiber, unsaturated fats, and micronutrients, which was often linked to a shift toward less plant-based diets. Gut microbiota diversity may mediate several of these associations, influencing metabolism, inflammation, sleep quality, and cognitive performance, although inter-individual variability and causal pathways remain incompletely understood. Conclusions: An integrated dietary approach emphasizing the consumption of whole and plant-rich foods, with moderate amounts of animal foods, supports multiple early markers, risk factors, and indicators of healthy longevity. The modulation of the gut microbiota through plant-based diets and fermented foods represents a promising strategy for maintaining health across aging trajectories.

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