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The health benefits of vegetables and fruit rise with consumption, finds study

BMJ 2014; 348 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g2434 (Published 01 April 2014) Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g2434

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Re: The health benefits of vegetables and fruit rise with consumption, finds study

This study seems to be based on sending aquestionnaire to people and asking them about their fruit/vegetable consumption within 24 hours. That does throw a shadow of doubt as it could be coincidental that the person has eaten that amount on that particular day & doesn't follow the same intake on other days of the week. These studies confuse people as health related advice about eating even 5 portions a day is not getting through to the general public. There has to be one voice about it & common sense would say this: to have a well balanced diet & that should involve at least 5 portions of vegetables/fruit as 3/2 a day, and more is even better to reduce the overall long term risk of Coronary Heart Disease. At the same time remind the general public that this is part of general lifestyle changes such as stopping smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, keeping BMI around 21-22, regular check up on BP & Diabetes screening in high risk patients &, last but not least, never forgetting regular exercise.

Competing interests: No competing interests

02 April 2014
A Q Qadri
Retired GP
Nhs
Nhs