A long-running study suggests that the Planetary Health Diet may be tied to better heart outcomes in older women. Over 20 years, researchers followed more than 65,000 postmenopausal women and found that those with higher adherence to the diet had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
The reported benefits were not limited to one condition. Higher adherence was associated with lower risk across several major cardiovascular outcomes, including overall cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure.
Because the study tracked women over a long period, it adds weight to the idea that dietary patterns can matter for long-term heart health after menopause. The findings are especially notable given the large number of participants and the focus on a population that faces rising cardiovascular risk with age.
While the results show an association rather than proving direct cause and effect, they support the broader view that following a structured, health-oriented eating pattern may help reduce heart-related risk over time in postmenopausal women.
