The association between fruit and vegetable consumption and peripheral arterial disease.
BACKGROUND
High fruit and vegetable consumption has been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, but few studies have focused on peripheral arterial disease. In this study, we evaluated the association of consumption of fruits and vegetables with peripheral arterial disease.


METHODS
In a cohort of 44,059 men initially free of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, we documented 295 cases of peripheral arterial disease during a 12-year follow-up. Fruit and vegetable consumption was assessed by food frequency questionnaire.


RESULTS
In the age-adjusted model, men in the highest quintile had a relative risk of 0.55 (95% confidence interval = 0.38-0.80) for overall fruit and vegetable intake, 0.52 (0.36-0.77) for fruit intake, and 0.54 (0.36-0.81) for vegetable intake, compared with those in the lowest quintile of intake. However, the associations were greatly weakened after adjustment for smoking and other traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors. Comparing men in the highest quintile versus the lowest quintile, relative risks and 95% confidence intervals were 0.95 (0.62-1.44) for overall fruit and vegetable intake, 0.97 (0.64-1.48) for fruit intake, and 0.76 (0.50-1.17) for vegetable intake.


CONCLUSIONS
We did not find evidence that fruit and vegetable consumption protects against peripheral arterial disease, although a modest benefit cannot be excluded.
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Hsin-Chia
HC
Hung
Anwar
A
Merchant
Walter
W
Willett
Alberto
A
Ascherio
Bernard A
BA
Rosner
Eric
E
Rimm
Kaumudi J
KJ
Joshipura
D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables