Fruit and Vegetable Intake: How Much Is Optimal?

Eating more fruits and vegetables could lower total and cause-specific mortality, with 5 daily servings being associated with the greatest risk reductions, according to the results of a recent study.

To examine how various levels of fruit and vegetable intake impacts long-term health outcomes, the researchers examined data from the Nurses’ Health Study (1984-2014) and the Health Professional Follow-up Study (1986-2014) and conducted a meta-analysis including data from 24 additional cohort studies. To be included the participants could not have cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes at baseline.

Participants provided their dietary information through the use of a food frequency questionnaire every 2 to 4 years. In the 30-year follow-up period, 33,898 deaths were recorded. Among 1,892,885 total participants included in the researchers’ dose-response meta-analysis, 145,015 deaths were recorded.

The results indicated a nonlinear inverse association between fruit and vegetable intake and total mortality (hazard ratio 0.87) and cause-specific mortality including cancer (HR 0.9), cardiovascular disease (HR 0.88), and respiratory disease (HR 0.65). The lowest mortality rate was observed in participants who consumed 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables per day for approximately 5 total servings. In addition, the researchers observed that consuming more than 5 servings per day was not associated with an increased risk reduction. Starchy vegetables, potatoes, and fruit juices were not found to have the same association with lower mortality as other subgroups of fruits and vegetables.

“These findings support current dietary recommendations to increase intakes of fruits and vegetables and that the succinct 5-a-day message is consistent with available evidence,” the researchers concluded.

—Leigh Precopio

Reference:

Wang DD, Li Y, Rosner BA, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and mortality: results from 2 prospective cohort studies of US men and women and a meta-analysis of 26 cohort studies. Circulation. 2021;143. doi: /10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.048996