Eating fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of dying early, with the reduction especially effective in stymieing the threat of cardiovascular disease.
The analysis into this topic, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, was directed by researchers from ten countries, including Spain, as part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).
The sample included 25,682 deaths - 10,438 due to cancer and 5,125 due to cardiovascular disease - among the 451,151 participants studied over more than 13 years.
The researchers found that more than 4 per cent of deaths due to cardiovascular disease could be prevented by consuming more than 400 grams of fruit and vegetables a day.
“This study is the most significant epidemiological study that this association has examined to date,” María José Sánchez Pérez, director of the Andalusian School of Public Health’s (EASP) Granada Cancer Registry, and one of the authors of the research, said.
According to the results, a combined fruit and vegetable consumption of more than 569 grams per day reduces the risk of mortality by 10 per cent, and delays the risk of mortality by 1.12 years compared to a consumption of less than 249 grams per day.
Furthermore, for every 200 gram increase in daily fruit and vegetable consumption, the study showed that the risk falls by 6 per cent.
The results also indicated that the proportion of deaths that could be prevented if everyone eating too few fruit and vegetables increased their consumption by 100-200 grams per day – thus reaching the recommended 400-500 grams per day – is 2.9 per cent.
“There is now sufficient evidence of the beneficial effect of fruit and vegetable consumption in the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases,” Sánchez added. “For this reason, one of the most effective preventative measures is promoting their consumption in the population.”
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