Background:
Increased intake of fruits and vegetables (F/V) may protect against adiposity, but effects on weight have been inconsistent. Our objective was to examine the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and weight, using direct and indirect measures of dietary intake: self-reported 24-hour recall and serum carotenoid levels.
Methods:
Participants from the PREMIER lifestyle intervention trial were included in this analysis (n=554). Dietary measures included 24-hour dietary recalls and serum carotenoid levels, from a fasting blood sample. The outcome was weight in pounds. Nested linear mixed models were used to examine the association between F/V and weight.
Results:
Mean F/V increased from 4.6 (SD 2.4) to 5.6 (SD 3.2) (p=<.01), mean serum carotenoids increased from 53.2 (SD 31.9) to 68.1 (SD 42.5) (p=<.01). At 18 months, participants in the lowest quintile of fruit and vegetable change reported an average intake of 4.42.8 servings of fruits and vegetables, and those in the highest quintile of change reported an average intake of 7.73.2 servings. In a multivariate model adjusting for age, race, gender, intervention, energy, study site, and time, lower body weight was associated with higher F/V intake measured by dietary recall (−0.63 lbs, 95% CI −0.83 to −0.42, per 1 serving increase in F/V) and serum carotenoids (−0.13 lbs, 95% CI −0.15 to −0.11, per 1 ug/dl increase in carotenoids). Results were somewhat attenuated but consistent after additional adjustments for working heart rate, exercise, calories from sugar-sweetened beverages, marital and employment status, and alcohol use .
Conclusions:
Greater fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with decreased body weight. Results were consistent for both objective and self-reported measures of fruit and vegetable intake.
Lettuce be happy: A longitudinal UK study on the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and well-being