HELSINKI, October 8 — A major new study published this week shows that people who follow the Nordic diet closely have a significantly lower risk of dying from any cause over time. The research, published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, followed more than 100,000 adults across Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden for an average of 15 years. Data collection spanned from 1993 to 2018, with participants regularly reporting their eating habits through food frequency questionnaires.
Those who scored highest in adherence to the Nordic diet — eating plenty of berries like lingonberries and bilberries, root vegetables such as carrots and turnips, whole grains including rye and oats, fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, and using rapeseed oil as their main fat — had a 15% lower risk of death from any cause compared to those with the lowest adherence. The protective effect was even stronger for heart-related deaths, with high adherers showing a 20% lower risk of cardiovascular mortality.
These results remained significant after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, physical activity, education, and total calorie intake. Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland, Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health collaborated on the analysis. They noted that the diet’s benefits may come from its high fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidant content, while being naturally low in processed foods and red meat.
Interestingly, the study did not find a significant link between Nordic diet adherence and reduced cancer mortality. The authors emphasized that, as an observational study, it can show associations but not prove cause and effect.
The findings support growing interest in regionally based, sustainable eating patterns. They echo earlier research on the Mediterranean diet but suggest that local food traditions — like those of the Nordic countries — can also offer meaningful long-term health benefits when followed consistently. Consult your doctor for medical advice.
