David Attenborough turns 97. Here's the product he's been avoiding
9:21 AM EST, November 11, 2023
David Attenborough, a well-known British explorer, biologist, writer, and above all, a popularizer of natural knowledge, has turned 97. While many associate him with his iconic voice, not everyone is aware of his dietary habits aimed at reaching a hundred years. He's eliminated certain food items from his diet to help him achieve this milestone.
Inside David Attenborough's diet
David Attenborough expressed in an interview that his greatest fears are helplessness, disability, and neurodegenerative diseases. He was prompted to change his eating habits when he found himself unable to recall the name of a familiar plant, rapeseed.
"I consume cheese and fish, and for the past few years, my meat consumption has diminished to the point where I'm practically a vegetarian. I never anticipated becoming one," Attenborough confesses.
A plant-based diet as a preventative measure
Annually, cardiovascular diseases cause over 18 million deaths globally. The United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda aims to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, by one third by 2030.
According to Prof. Ruth Frikke-Schmidt, plant-based diets not only contribute to more sustainable food production but also help in reducing the impact of cardiovascular diseases. "We should opt for a diverse plant-rich diet and stay hydrated with water," suggests Prof. Frikke-Schmidt.
The cholesterol factor
One significant advantage of a vegetarian or entirely plant-based diet is its impact on cholesterol levels.
A recent analysis of 30 studies conducted from 1982-2022, with a total of 2,372 participants, evaluated the impact of vegetarian, vegan, and "omnivorous" diets on cholesterol levels.
This review is the most comprehensive of its kind and was the first to include an evaluation of apoB, proteins that help transport fat and cholesterol in the blood and are a good indicator of the total amount of harmful fats and cholesterol in the body.
The study found that compared to an omnivorous diet, plant-based diets resulted in an average reduction of total cholesterol by 7 percent, LDL cholesterol by 10 percent, and apoB levels by 14 percent. The average study diet duration was 29 weeks.
