Healthy eating significantly improves the hearing of women

Does the diet affect hearing??

In recent years, the importance of a healthy diet has become increasingly important for our health. People are trying to eat healthier foods to avoid various diseases and health problems. Researchers now found that a healthy diet can even improve hearing. Unfortunately, only women seem to benefit from this improvement in hearing.

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the internationally acclaimed Harvard Medical School found in their recent research that a healthy diet not only has a positive impact on overall health, but can also improve women's hearing. The experts published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Journal of Nutrition".

A balanced and healthy diet not only affects overall health and weight, it also protects women from hearing loss. (Image: Kurhan / fotolia.com)

These nutritional approaches were studied

In their current study, the physicians investigated the connection between three different types of nutrition and the risk that those affected develop hearing loss. These included the so-called Alternative Mediterranean Diet (AMED), nutritional approaches to hypertension (DASH) and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI -2010), in which 70,966 women were medically monitored over a 22-year period.

What did a healthy diet contain?

The alternative Mediterranean diet contains a lot of extra virgin olive oil, cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish and a modest intake of alcohol. The so-called Dash diet is rich in fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products and low in sodium. The AHEI 2010 diet has common ingredients from both previous forms of nutrition, the experts explain.

Risk of hearing loss has been reduced by 30 percent

Brigham and Women's Hospital research has found that eating a healthy diet reduces the risk of hearing loss in women. The research team found that consuming a healthy diet reduced the risk of hearing loss by as much as 30 percent.

Study investigated development of hearing loss

Through their study, the researchers wanted to examine the link between overall nutrition and the risk of developing hearing loss. Previous studies have already looked at how specific nutrients affect the risk of hearing loss. However, there have been few studies on the overall relationship between diet and hearing loss, the researchers explain.

Healthy diet protects against hearing loss

Interestingly, the study found that people who eat a healthy diet have a lower risk of moderate or severe hearing loss, said study author Sharon Curhan of Harvard Medical School. Healthy food is known to contribute to overall health. It can also help reduce the risk of hearing loss, adds the expert.

Which form of nutrition led to the best results?

For the so-called longitudinal study, the team collected detailed information about food intake every four years. The results showed that women whose diets were most similar to AMED or DASH diets had a roughly 30 percent lower risk of moderate or poor hearing loss compared to women whose actual diet was least similar to dietary habits. In addition, the results of a subgroup of more than 33,000 women showed that the extent of the reduced risk could even exceed 30 percent and possibly also relate to an AHEI 2010 diet, say the physicians. (As)