[Lifestayle] Eating more fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of death

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Researchers have shown that eating five servings of fruits and vegetables lengthens life.
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2021 is the year of fruits and vegetables for a better quality of life and to prevent diseases.

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Diets rich in fruits and vegetables help reduce the risk of numerous chronic diseases, the leading causes of death, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Yet in the United States, only one in 10 adults eats enough fruits or vegetables.Related topicsWith healthy life programs they seek to reduce obesity in CaliEmotional nutrition: the key to having the ideal weight
 
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To carry out the work, the experts analyzed two studies in which more than 100,000 adults had been investigated for 30 years. Both data sets included detailed dietary information collected every two to four years.

The researchers also pooled data on fruit and vegetable intake and death from 26 studies that included about 1.9 million participants from 29 countries and territories in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

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In this way, the experts verified that the intake of approximately five servings of fruits and vegetables per day was associated with the lowest risk of death, and eating approximately two daily servings of fruits and three daily servings of vegetables with greater longevity.

Compared with those who ate two servings of fruits and vegetables per day, participants who ate five servings of fruits and vegetables per day had a 13 percent lower risk of death from all causes; a 12 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke; a 10 percent lower risk of death from cancer; and a 35 percent lower risk of death from respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

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“There is data that suggests that they can prevent some cancers, vascular and arterial diseases, obesity, or alterations of the digestive tract, among others. This is demonstrated when they are compared with other foods of animal origin, such as red meat from beef, beef, or pork ”, points out Dr. Franco Sánchez, head of the Endocrinology, Nutrition and Diabetes Service of the Hospital Nuestra Señora del Rosario ( Madrid).

However, the vegetables that showed the most benefits were green leafy ones, such as spinach, kale, lettuce, those rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, berries and carrots.

This study identifies an optimal level of intake of fruits and vegetables and supports the succinct and evidence-based public health message of '5 a day', which means that people should ideally consume five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

The vegetables that showed the most benefits were green leafy ones, such as spinach, kale, lettuce, those rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, berries and carrots.
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This year is a good time to start adopting healthy eating habits that include more fruits and vegetables. In this way it was determined by the United Nations General Assembly, designating the year 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (AIFV), which “offers the unique opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of fruits and vegetables for nutrition. human rights, food security and health, and for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations ”, assures the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) on its web portal.

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“In 2021, countries will put emphasis on promoting healthier diets rich in fruits and vegetables, which are also more sustainable and friendly to the fight against climate change. These foods currently suffer the highest levels of loss and waste ”, determined the UN.

"Fruits and vegetables are the cornerstone of a healthy and varied diet. They provide the human body with abundant nutrients, support the immune system, and help reduce the risk of many diseases. However, despite these enormous benefits, they do not we consume in sufficient quantities ”, assured the Secretary General of the UN during the official launch of the AIFV, in December 2020.