Better diet quality in older age was also associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and poor kidney function, as gauged by blood-based biomarker metrics, including lower levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), C-reactive protein, and cystatin C: respectively, 5.8 vs. 5.9, p < 0.1; 2.9 vs. 4.2, p < 0.01; and 1.07 vs. 1.2, p < 0.01. This evidence concerns the gene CST3 and cardiovascular disorder.