The relationship between Fruit and vegetable intake and frailty: Data from NHANES 2007–2018

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BackgroundPrevious studies have indicated a certain relationship between the intake of fruits and vegetables and frailty. However, there is currently a lack of research on the association between fruit and vegetable intake and frailty. ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the potential correlation between fruit and vegetable intake and frailty. Additionally, we seek to investigate the relationship between fruit intake and frailty across different demographic characteristics and subgroups. MethodsInitially, participant information from the NHANES database (2007–2018) was extracted, including age, gender, race, education level, and other relevant factors. Subsequently, a comprehensive adjustment of multiple variables was carried out using a logistic regression model to analyze the relationship between vegetable and fruit intake and frailty. We also conducted subgroup analyses for variables showing significant differences in the regression model, exploring the relationship between vegetable and fruit intake and frailty in different demographic subgroups. Finally, we employed Restricted Cubic Splines (RCS) to explore the relationship between vegetable and fruit intake and frailty. ResultsIn our study of 13,935 participants, 2224 were classified as frail, while 11,711 were non-frail. Significant differences were observed between the frail and non-frail groups in variables such as gender, race, marital status, education level, and BMI. Weighted logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between the intake of fruits (including f_other, f_whole, f_juice, f_total) and vegetables (including v_redor_total, v_total) and a reduced risk of frailty (p for trend <0.05, OR < 1). Notably, in the f_other group, both the medium and high intake groups had a significantly lower risk of frailty compared to the low intake group (ORs of 0.70 and 0.68, p < 0.001, respectively). Subgroup analysis indicated significant interactions between fruit and vegetable intake and frailty across different gender, income, alcohol intake, education level, and racial groups (p for interaction <0.05). Restricted cubic spline analysis showed that while an increase in fruit and vegetable intake reduced the risk of frailty within a certain range, the risk gradually increased beyond that range. ConclusionThis study provides preliminary evidence supporting a close association between vegetable and fruit intake and frailty, laying the foundation for future in-depth investigations into the dietary links with frailty. These findings also offer new nutritional intervention strategies for frailty prevention, emphasizing the crucial role of diet in maintaining overall health. However, further clinical and epidemiological research is needed to validate these associations and provide detailed explanations for the specific mechanisms through which fruit and vegetable intake impact frailty.