Varying food consumption could be key to maintaining a health lifestyle.

Multiple dietary changes can be effective, in addition to introducing single elements to daily food intake, according to new research by Sweden's Lund University.

In a four week period, the university tested 44 overweight individuals between the ages of 50 and 75, who consumed foods that are estimated to decrease low-grade inflammation in the body.

Men and women gained lower cholesterol from a diverse diet, with multiple changes to intake, which can lower the likelihood of diseases such as heart disease.

Head of the university's antidiabetic food centre Inger Björck said: "The results have exceeded our expectations! I would like to claim that there has been no previous study with similar effects on healthy subjects."

Earlier this month, findings from the US Agricultural Research Service Fish discovered that foods such as salmon and tuna contain healthy compounds that can help protect the body against diabetes and other chronic diseases.