Fruits, Vegetables & Health

[Guest guest]

Imbedded in one of the JADA article this month is this

startling point...

7219 people die prematurely (around the world) from

not eating the basic amount of fruits and vegetables.

And if they did, it could reduce

Heart Disease by 31%

Ischaemic Stroke by 19%

Stomach Camcer by 19%

Oesophageal Cancer by 20%

Lung Cancer by 12%

Colorectal Cancer by 2%,

The global burden of disease attributable to low

consumption of fruit and vegetables: implications for

the global strategy on diet.

Lock K, Pomerleau J, Causer L, Altmann DR, McKee M

Bull World Health Organ 2005; 83:100-8.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We estimated the global burden of disease

attributable to low consumption of fruit and

vegetables, an increasingly recognized risk factor for

cardiovascular disease and cancer, and compared its

impact with that of other major risk factors for

disease. METHODS: The burden of disease attributable

to suboptimal intake of fruit and vegetables was

estimated using information on fruit and vegetable

consumption in the population, and on its association

with six health outcomes (ischaemic heart disease,

stroke, stomach, oesophageal, colorectal and lung

cancer). Data from both sources were stratified by

sex, age and by 14 geographical regions.

FINDINGS: The total worldwide mortality currently

attributable to inadequate consumption of fruit and

vegetables is estimated to be up to 2.635 million

deaths per year. Increasing individual fruit and

vegetable consumption to up to 600 g per day (the

baseline of choice) could reduce the total worldwide

burden of disease by 1.8%, and reduce the burden of

ischaemic heart disease and ischaemic stroke by 31%

and 19% respectively. For stomach, oesophageal, lung

and colorectal cancer, the potential reductions were

19%, 20%, 12% and 2%, respectively.

CONCLUSION: This study shows the potentially large

impact that increasing fruit and vegetable intake

could have in reducing many noncommunicable diseases.

It highlights the need for much greater emphasis on

dietary risk factors in public health policy in order

to tackle the rise in noncommunicable diseases

worldwide, and suggests that the proposed

intersectoral WHO/FAO fruit and vegetable promotion

initiative is a crucial component in any global diet

strategy.

[Guest guest]

This does not even count diabetes. Did anyone see the front page of yesterday's NT Times about the diabetes epidemic in India? There was one line that mentioned the probable cause as switching from a formerly vegetable-laden diet to the Western Diet. There was no mention of anyone reverting to a vegetable-laden diet either as a cure, ameliorating proc or prophylactic.Jeff Novick <chefjeff40@...> wrote: Imbedded in one of the JADA article this month is this startling point... 7219 people

die prematurely (around the world) from not eating the basic amount of fruits and vegetables. And if they did, it could reduce Heart Disease by 31% Ischaemic Stroke by 19% Stomach Camcer by 19% Oesophageal Cancer by 20% Lung Cancer by 12% Colorectal Cancer by 2%, The global burden of disease attributable to low consumption of fruit and vegetables: implications for the global strategy on diet. Lock K, Pomerleau J, Causer L, Altmann DR, McKee M Bull World Health Organ 2005; 83:100-8. Abstract OBJECTIVE: We estimated the global burden of disease attributable to low consumption of fruit and vegetables, an increasingly recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease and cancer, and compared its impact with that of other major risk factors for disease. METHODS: The burden of disease attributable to suboptimal intake of fruit and vegetables was estimated using

information on fruit and vegetable consumption in the population, and on its association with six health outcomes (ischaemic heart disease, stroke, stomach, oesophageal, colorectal and lung cancer). Data from both sources were stratified by sex, age and by 14 geographical regions. FINDINGS: The total worldwide mortality currently attributable to inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables is estimated to be up to 2.635 million deaths per year. Increasing individual fruit and vegetable consumption to up to 600 g per day (the baseline of choice) could reduce the total worldwide burden of disease by 1.8%, and reduce the burden of ischaemic heart disease and ischaemic stroke by 31% and 19% respectively. For stomach, oesophageal, lung and colorectal cancer, the potential reductions were 19%, 20%, 12% and 2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study shows the potentially large impact that

increasing fruit and vegetable intake could have in reducing many noncommunicable diseases. It highlights the need for much greater emphasis on dietary risk factors in public health policy in order to tackle the rise in noncommunicable diseases worldwide, and suggests that the proposed intersectoral WHO/FAO fruit and vegetable promotion initiative is a crucial component in any global diet strategy.

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

Jeff, the study was available free full-text as the

http://tinyurl.com/fvhjl paper. It was a meta

analysis of studies that only one of which, it seems,

was prospective. This was the pdf-available

http://tinyurl.com/kyfu5 study that reported in its

abstract: " This prospective study suggests that

vegetable and fruit consumption was not clearly

associated with stomach cancer risk in the Dutch

population. The findings of this study are comparable

with findings of other cohort studies, but they do not

support the findings of case-control studies. " Mostly

case-control studies were used to assess the risk in

the http://tinyurl.com/fvhjl paper.

--- Jeff Novick <chefjeff40@...> wrote:

> Imbedded in one of the JADA article this month is

> this

> startling point...

>

> 7219 people die prematurely (around the world) from

> not eating the basic amount of fruits and

> vegetables.

>

> And if they did, it could reduce

> Heart Disease by 31%

> Ischaemic Stroke by 19%

> Stomach Camcer by 19%

> Oesophageal Cancer by 20%

> Lung Cancer by 12%

> Colorectal Cancer by 2%,

>

> The global burden of disease attributable to low

> consumption of fruit and vegetables: implications

> for

> the global strategy on diet.

> Lock K, Pomerleau J, Causer L, Altmann DR, McKee M

>

> Bull World Health Organ 2005; 83:100-8.

-- Al Pater, PhD; email: old542000@...

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