AsianScientist (Apr. 25, 2017) – In a study involving half a million adults, researchers have found that people who frequently consume fresh fruit have a lower risk of developing diabetes and related cardiovascular diseases. These findings have been published in PLOS Medicine.
Researchers recruited 500,000 adults aging from 35 to 74 years old across ten diverse areas of China and tracked their health condition for seven years by means of detailed questionnaire interviews, physical measurements and blood tests. Out of the over 30,000 observation subjects with diabetes, there were over 10,000 cases of cardiovascular disease and 3,400 deaths.
The baseline survey indicated that overall, 20 percent of the participants reported consumption of fresh fruit on a daily basis (the most commonly consumed fruits being apples and citrus fruit), while 6 percent reported no or rare consumption. Diabetic individuals with fruit intake at the initial baseline assessment had lower risk of developing ischaemic heart disease, stroke and even death.
These findings confirm the protective effect of fruit intake, said study first author Dr. Du Huaidong of Oxford University. Furthermore, added lead author Professor Chen Zhengmin, they should serve as the scientific basis for dietary guidelines to increase fruit consumption in a bid to prevent and manage diabetes.
The article can be found at: Du et al. (2017) Fresh Fruit Consumption in Relation to Incident Diabetes and Diabetic Vascular Complications: A 7-y Prospective Study of 0.5 Million Chinese Adults.
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Source: Peking University; Photo: Pexels.
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