Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Telomere Length in a Random Sample of 5448 U.S. Adults.

Larry A. Tucker

doi:10.3390/nu13051415

Abstract

The relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and telomere length was examined using a cross-sectional design and an NHANES random sample of 5448 U.S. adults. Fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption was assessed using a 24 h recall, and telomere length, an index of cellular aging, was measured using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. Telomere length was linearly related to F&V intake when combined (F = 22.7, p < 0.0001) and also when separated as fruit (F = 7.2, p < 0.0121) or vegetables (F = 15.4, p < 0.0005), after adjusting for covariates. Specifically, telomeres were 27.8 base pairs longer for each 100 g (3.5 ounces) of F&V consumed. Because each additional year of chronological age was associated with telomeres that were 14.9 base pairs shorter, when women and men were analyzed together, results indicated that a 100 g (3.5 oz) per day increment in F&V corresponded with 1.9 years less biological aging. When the 75th percentile of F&V intake was compared to the 25th, the difference was 4.4 years of cellular aging. When separated by sex, fruits and vegetables were both related to telomere length in women, but only vegetable intake was predictive of telomere length in men. In conclusion, evidence based on a random sample of U.S. adults indicates that the more the servings of F&V, the longer telomeres tend to be.

Highlights

There are many health benefits associated with vegetable and fruit intake
With all the covariates controlled, the findings showed the association between fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake and biological aging, as if all participants had the same age, sex, race, physical activity level, smoking habit, alcohol drinking behavior, and body mass index
In the present investigation, when the vegetable group was analyzed with both potatoes and legumes included, the relationship with telomere length was attenuated substantially, but it remained significant

Summary

Introduction

There are many health benefits associated with vegetable and fruit intake. Approximately 85% of Americans do not consume sufficient amounts of vegetables and over 75% fall short regarding intake of fruits [1]. Guidelines for Americans (2015–2020),” recommends that individuals increase their intake of vegetables from all vegetable subgroups. The guidelines encourage Americans to shift toward consuming more fruits, mostly whole fruits, in nutrient-dense forms [1]. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults consume more than 400 g (>14 oz) of fruits and vegetables per day to improve overall health and reduce the risk of disease [2]. Numerous investigations show that mortality decreases as consumption of vegetables and fruits increases. In a recent meta-analysis that included over 830,000 adults, Wang et al

Results

Discussion

Conclusion