Fruit and vegetables and cardiovascular risk profile: a diet controlled intervention study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of fruit and vegetables consumption on markers of risk for cardiovascular disease.


METHODS
Randomised, diet controlled, parallel study.


METHODS
Forty-eight apparently healthy (40--60 y) volunteers with a low usual consumption of fruit and vegetables. Forty-seven of them completed the study.


METHODS
During 4 weeks 24 volunteers consumed a standardised meal, consisting of 500 g/day fruit and vegetables and 200 ml/day fruit juice ('high' group) and 23 volunteers consumed 100 g/day fruit and vegetables ('low' group) with an energy and fat controlled diet.


RESULTS
Final total cholesterol was 0.2 (95% CI -0.5--0.03) mmol/l lower in the high group than in the low group (P>0.05). Final fibrinogen and systolic blood pressure were 0.1 (-0.1--0.4) g/l and 2.8 (-2.6--8.1) mmHg higher in the high group than in the low group (P>0.05), respectively. Also, other final serum lipid concentrations, diastolic blood pressure and other haemostatic factors did not differ between both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This was a small randomised well-controlled dietary intervention trial of short duration with a considerable contrast in fruit and vegetable consumption. No effects on serum lipids, blood pressure and haemostatic variables were observed.
Broekmans
W M
WM
TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Zeist, The Netherlands. Broeckmans@voeding.tno.nl
Klöpping-Ketelaars
W A
WA
Kluft
C
C
van den Berg
H
H
Kok
F J
FJ
van Poppel
G
G
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014675:Vegetables
D008055:Lipids; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002784:Cholesterol