BMJ  2003;326:1458 (28 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7404.1458-b

Letter

Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption

An apple a day may be the secret

EDITOR—Steptoe et al described the use of behavioural interventions to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables in adults with low incomes.¹ I am a doctor and an enthusiastic amateur (almost professional) apple grower. With my life partner I have planted and tend 1000 apple and plum trees and am wondering if I should give up medicine altogether to spend more time with my apple trees.

As well as apples, we grow trees and sell them at car boot sales that are attended by some of my patients. I can afford to sell trees at low prices. Growing food bearing trees hopefully helps put people back in touch with nature, perchance to improve their mental health and also hopefully improve their diet.

As I am losing my faith in the way we in the United Kingdom now choose to practise and organise medicine, and growing in my love for apples, how should I choose to spend the final decade of my active career most fruitfully? Growing antioxidants or prescribing anticoagulants?

Botley, Hampshire SO30 2AA apples{at}botley.com

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Competing interests: SFH is a doctor and apple grower.

References

1. Steptoe A, Perkins-Porras L, McKay C, Rink E, Hilton E, Cappuccio FP. Behavioural counselling to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables in low income adults: randomised trial. BMJ 2003;326: 855-8. (19 April.)[Abstract/Free Full Text]

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Related Article

Behavioural counselling to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables in low income adults: randomised trial

Andrew Steptoe, Linda Perkins-Porras, Catherine McKay, Elisabeth Rink, Sean Hilton, and Francesco P Cappuccio
BMJ 2003 326: 855. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]