• Qing-Xiao Li, Shuai Yuan, Zhixiu Yu, Susanna C Larsson, and Qi-Qiang He.
• Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, USA.
• Nutrition. 2021 Nov 1; 91-92: 111310.

ObjectivesA healthy diet is associated with reduced risk for premature death; however, data on the association between food expenditure and life expectancy are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the association of expenditure on food groups with life expectancy in men and women.MethodsThis study used data from 1548 counties, representing >90% of the population of the United States from 2001 through the end of 2014. Multivariable adjusted Bayesian generalized linear models were used to assess the association of county-level expenditure on nine groups of individual food and combined healthy and unhealthy foods, and a constructed healthy diet score with life expectancy at 40 y of age by sex.ResultsA 1-unit increase in the healthy diet score based on food expenditure was associated with a 0.07 y (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.05-0.10), 0.04 y (95% CI, 0.02-0.07), and 0.06 y (95% CI, 0.04-0.08) increase in county-level life expectancy among men alone, women alone, and men and women combined, respectively. Increasing expenditure on whole grains (estimate of per 1% increase 0.07; 95% CI, 0.03-0.11), fresh fruit and vegetables (0.06; 95% CI, 0.02-0.09), and dairy products (0.05; 95% CI, 0.03-0.07), as well as reducing expenditure on sugar-sweetened beverages (-0.02; 95% CI, -0.04 to -0.01) and processed red meat (-0.05; 95% CI, -0.08 to -0.02) showed a positive association with increased county-level life expectancy.ConclusionsThese findings may inform a nutritional measure against premature death and stagnation of increase in life expectancy.Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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