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Question 6 of 24

Be real about your diet:

The short answer

Modelling built on large cohort data suggests a sustained shift from a typical Western diet to a healthier pattern could add years of life. A UK Biobank-based model estimated that 40-year-olds who durably adopt a longevity-associated diet could gain around ten years, with smaller gains at older ages.

You are what you order through a window

💀 A grim little fact

Overweight and obesity are linked to roughly 4 million deaths a year — about 7.1% of all deaths. And the modern villain isn't just quantity: 2024 research found people eating the most ultra-processed food had about a 15% higher risk of dying, with risk creeping up ~3% for every extra 10% of the diet that's ultra-processed.

~7.1% of global deaths involve overweight/obesity.

🔮 Myth vs. Morty

Myth: "I'll just do a detox tea / juice cleanse to undo it." Beautiful idea. Complete fiction. You already own two elite, always-on detox organs — your liver and kidneys — and they work for free, no subscription, no influencer discount code. What the tea mostly detoxes is your wallet (and, briefly, your colon).

Morty's diet advice: eat food that would eventually go bad. The stuff engineered to outlive you is, ironically, trying to.

Sources: WHO; ultra-processed food meta-analyses (2024) · Entertainment only — not medical advice.

Diet and life expectancy: what the evidence shows

Last reviewed · compiled by the ExpireOnDate editorial team · not medically reviewed

What the research shows

  • Modelling on 467,354 UK Biobank participants estimated that 40-year-old women and men who sustainably shifted to a longevity-associated dietary pattern could gain 10.4 and 10.8 years of life expectancy respectively.

    467,354 UK Biobank participants · United Kingdom · modelling study using cohort and life-table methods · 2023-11-20 · Nature Food

  • The same study estimated that 40-year-olds shifting to the UK Eatwell Guide diet could gain roughly 8.6 to 8.9 years.

    UK Biobank cohort · United Kingdom · modelling study · 2023 · Nature Food

  • For 70-year-olds, the modelled gain from the same shift was smaller, at about 5.0 to 5.4 years.

    UK Biobank adults aged 70 · United Kingdom · modelling study · 2023 · Nature Food

In absolute terms

The study reports estimated absolute gains of up to about 10.4–10.8 years at age 40 and 5.0–5.4 years at age 70, with uncertainty intervals spanning roughly 4 to 12 years depending on age and sex.

What it does not show

These are modelled projections from observational associations, not measured outcomes of a decades-long randomised trial — no such trial exists. The model assumes complete lifelong adherence, which almost nobody manages, and the underlying dietary intake was self-reported.

Every figure on this page describes a population, not a person. Associations measured across thousands of people cannot tell any individual how long they will live, and nothing here is medical advice. If something on this page concerns you, talk to a doctor rather than a comedy website.

References

  1. Life expectancy can increase by up to 10 years following sustained shifts towards healthier diets in the United Kingdom. Nature Food (2023-11-20). primary source; accessed 2026-08-15.
  2. Estimating impact of food choices on life expectancy: A modeling study. PLOS Medicine (2022). primary source; accessed 2026-08-15.

Spotted an error or a better source? Tell us — corrections are logged and the review date updated.