Study Finds Daily Produce Consumption Could Lower Risk of Death by 32%
BARCELONA, SPAIN – A study published by the European Society of Cardiology suggests that an apple a day might do more than just keep the doctor away. The half million person study found that eating fruit on a daily basis reduced the overall risk of death by 32%. That's a number that just jumps off the page and grabs you, underscoring the incredibly important role our industry plays not just in the world economy, but in the daily lives of people everwhere.
According to the European Society of Cardiology, some other arresting results from the study include:
- Up to a 40% reduced risk from dying of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- A 15% decreased risk of developing ischaemic heart disease (IHD)
- A 27% decreased risk of dying from IHD
- A 25% decreased risk of developing ischaemic stroke
- A 40% decreased risk of developing haemorrhagic stroke
"Our data clearly shows that eating fresh fruit can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including ischaemic heart disease and stroke (particularly haemorrhagic stroke),” shared Oxford's Dr Huaidong Du. “And not only that, the more fruit you eat the more your CVD risk goes down. It does suggest that eating more fruit is beneficial compared to less or no fruit."
"Our data shows that eating fresh fruit was associated with lower baseline BP,” Dr. Du continued. “We also found that the beneficial effect of fruit on the risk of CVD was independent of its impact on baseline BP."
As stark as these figures might seem, an earlier study which AndNowUKnow reported on last April suggests that the correlation between a longer life and fresh produce might be even stronger. This study revealed that eating seven or more portions of fruit and vegetables per day could reduce a person's risk of death by as much as 42%, while reducing the risk of death from specific diseases like cancer and heart disease by 25% and 31% respectively.
"We all know that eating fruit and vegetables is healthy, but the size of the effect is staggering," shared Dr Oyinlola Oyebode of UCL's Department of Epidemiology & Public Health and lead author of the study. "The clear message here is that the more fruit and vegetables you eat, the less likely you are to die at any age."
Anyone else thinking of ordering a salad for dinner tonight?
