Fruit and vegetables and cardiovascular risk profile : a diet controlled intervention study

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 55; no. 8; pp. 636 - 642
• Main Authors: BROEKMANS, W. M. R, KLÖPPING-KETELAARS, W. A. A, KLUFT, C, VAN DEN BERG, H, KOK, F. J, VAN POPPEL, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing 01.08.2001; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; Clinical nutrition; Diet; Disease control; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fibrinogen; Fibrinogen - analysis; Food habits; Fruit; Fruit juices; Fruits; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health aspects; Health risks; Horticulture; Humans; Lipids; Lipids - blood; Middle Aged; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Nutritional aspects; Risk assessment; Risk Factors; Risk management; Serum lipids; Vegetables; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Netherlands; Human; Fruit; Healthy subject; Nutrition; Cardiovascular disease; Lipids; Metabolism; Prevention; Diet; Food intake; Clinical trial; Arterial pressure; Vegetable
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601192

To evaluate the effect of fruit and vegetables consumption on markers of risk for cardiovascular disease. Randomised, diet controlled, parallel study. Forty-eight apparently healthy (40--60 y) volunteers with a low usual consumption of fruit and vegetables. Forty-seven of them completed the study. During 4 weeks 24 volunteers consumed a standardised meal, consisting of 500 g/day fruit and vegetables and 200 ml/day fruit juice ('high' group) and 23 volunteers consumed 100 g/day fruit and vegetables ('low' group) with an energy and fat controlled diet. Final total cholesterol was 0.2 (95% CI -0.5--0.03) mmol/l lower in the high group than in the low group (P>0.05). Final fibrinogen and systolic blood pressure were 0.1 (-0.1--0.4) g/l and 2.8 (-2.6--8.1) mmHg higher in the high group than in the low group (P>0.05), respectively. Also, other final serum lipid concentrations, diastolic blood pressure and other haemostatic factors did not differ between both groups. This was a small randomised well-controlled dietary intervention trial of short duration with a considerable contrast in fruit and vegetable consumption. No effects on serum lipids, blood pressure and haemostatic variables were observed.