<i>The 30-year study, which followed the eating habits of more than 100,000 middle-aged adults, found that diets with comparatively higher amounts of plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts and beans — were associated with a higher likelihood of healthy aging.</i><p><i>“This suggests what you eat in midlife can play a big role in how well you age,” said Anne-Julie Tessier, an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Montreal and the lead author of the observational study, which was published in Nature Medicine.</i>