Personalised nutrition for longevity

Eat enough protein, especially after 40

Sarcopenia — age-related muscle loss — is one of the strongest predictors of frailty and mortality. The current RDA (0.8 g/kg) was set to prevent deficiency, not to preserve muscle into old age. The longevity-relevant target is closer to 1.2–1.6 g/kg of body weight, distributed across 3–4 meals of 30–40 g each, with at least one resistance training stimulus.

Anchor on a Mediterranean pattern

PREDIMED — a randomised trial in over 7,000 high-risk adults — showed roughly a 30% reduction in major cardiovascular events with a Mediterranean diet enriched with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts. The pattern is durable: vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, olive oil, moderate dairy and wine, minimal ultra-processed food.

Personalise within the pattern

The PREDICT studies showed that postprandial glucose, insulin, and triglyceride responses to identical meals vary several-fold between people. Genetics explains a small part; the gut microbiome, sleep, stress and prior meals explain much more. The practical implication: keep the framework, then test which specific foods, timings and combinations suit your physiology.

Mind the ultra-processed share

In a tightly controlled inpatient study, an ultra-processed diet led participants to eat ~500 kcal more per day than a matched unprocessed diet — without anyone trying. The category, not just the calories, matters.

What to do this week

• Calculate your protein floor: body weight (kg) × 1.2 g. Hit it daily.
• Make olive oil, legumes and a wide range of plants the spine of your week.
• Replace one ultra-processed item per week with a whole-food alternative.
• Eat your largest carbohydrate meal earlier in the day, not later.