Good news for the elderly! Less risk from heart disease is as easy as eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and maintaining a good cognitive function. On the other hand, seniors who eat less fruits and vegetables and have poor cognitive function have a higher risk of suffering a heart failure.

Researchers at the Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia conducted a study on 4,879 people (3,101 women and 1,778 men), age 70 and older who took part in the US Longitudinal Study of Aging. By analyzing the diet and cognitive data–the ability to think, remember, plan and organize information–the scientists noted that:

* Those who ate three or more servings of vegetables daily had a 30 percent lower risk for dying from heart disease and a 15 percent lower risk for dying from any cause during the follow-up period than those who ate fewer than three servings of vegetables a day.
* There was a significant association between higher consumption of fruits and vegetables and decreased prevalence of cognitive impairment.
* People who scored high on cognitive functions tests were less likely to die from heart disease or any other cause during the follow-up than were those with low scores.

All the findings were presented Wednesday during the American Heart Association’s annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.

(via Health Day)