The first longitudinal study of diet and COVID-19: a healthy diet reduces the probability of contagion

The first longitudinal study of diet and COVID-19: a healthy diet reduces the probability of contagion

According to a recent study , published in the journal Gut by researchers at King’s and Harvard Medical School, people with the highest quality diet were about 10% less likely to develop COVID-19 than those with the lowest quality diet and a 40% less chance of getting seriously ill .

Rather than looking at specific foods or nutrients, the survey was designed to look at broader dietary patterns that reflect how people actually eat .

Plant-based diet

The relationship between diet quality and COVID-19 risk still held true after accounting for all potential confounders . Factors included age, body mass index (BMI), ethnicity, smoking, physical activity, and underlying health conditions were also considered.

The impact of diet was amplified by individual life situations , as people living in low-income neighborhoods who have the lowest quality diet have a 25% higher risk of COVID-19 than people in more prosperous communities that ate the same way. Based on these results, the researchers estimate that nearly a quarter of COVID-19 cases could have been prevented if these differences in diet quality and socioeconomic status had not existed.

Plant-based eating is an eating style based mostly on plant-based foods such as vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and whole grains. That doesn’t mean that going vegan is strictly necessary, but having more diverse plants on your plate is a great way to boost the health of your gut microbiome, improve your immunity and overall health, and potentially lower your risk of COVID-19.