5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day associated with 26% lower risk of death over 4-26 years

People who consumed five (5) servings of fruits and vegetables per day were 26% less likely to die during a 4.6 to 26 year follow-up compared with people who had no daily consumption of fruit and vegetables according to a meta-analysis of 16 studies.

The decreased risk of death was mainly due to a reduction in death from cardiovascular disease, and less so from a reduction in death from cancer.

“For the reduction in total mortality, we found a threshold of around five servings a day of fruit and vegetables, after which the risk of death did not reduce further,” the paper notes.

“Overall, about 10-30% lower risk of all cause mortality was found in most prospective studies comparing highest with lowest fruit and vegetable consumption.”

“This meta-analysis provides further evidence that higher consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of mortality from all causes, particularly from cardiovascular diseases.”

Risk of Dying By Servings

Risk of Dying According to Number of Servings of Fruits and Vegetables

Compared with people who had no daily consumption of fruit and vegetables, those who consumed

• one (1) serving of fruits and vegetables per day were 8% less likely to die
• two (2) servings of fruits and vegetables per day were 15% less likely to die
• three (3) servings of fruits and vegetables per day were 21% less likely to die
• four (4) servings of fruits and vegetables per day were 24% less likely to die
• five (5) servings of fruits and vegetables per day were 26% less likely to die
• six (6) servings of fruits and vegetables per day were 26% less likely to die

during a 4.6 to 26 year follow-up.

Reference

Wang X, Ouyang Y, Liu J, Zhu M, Zhao G, Bao W, and Hu FB. Fruit and vegetable consumption and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. BMJ, 2014; 349: g4490.

Author’s Contact Info

Frank B. Hu
Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology
Harvard School of Public Health
Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Wei Bao
Epidemiology Branch
Division of Intramural Population Health Research
Eunice Kennedy Shriver
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institutes of Health
Rockville, MD 20852, USA
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