WHO: Adults Should Double Fruit and Veggie Consumption
Most adults in the world would have to at least double their current consumption of fruits and vegetables to meet the World Health Organization’s minimum recommendation of five servings (400g) per day, according to new research in the British Journal of Nutrition.
“The vast majority of adults worldwide—60% to 87%, across 13 geographic diet regions—are falling short of this recommendation and missing out on crucial nutrition and health benefits,” says study co-author Keith Randolph, PhD, nutrition technology strategist at the Nutrilite Health Institute, in Buena Park, Calif. “In addition to seasonal and geographic availability, a number of other obstacles prevent people from eating the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, including: busy lives, cost, as well as perceptions of the value of fruits and vegetables.”
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Commissioned by the Nutrilite Health Institute of Amway and conducted by consulting firm Exponent, the study examined fruit and vegetable consumption and phytonutrient intake from a global perspective.
The researchers analyzed data from 196,925 adults from 52 geographically diverse countries who responded to a questionnaire on fruit and vegetable consumption as part of the World Health Survey, a cross-sectional study conducted between 2002 and 2004.
The gap between the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables and actual consumption also indicates that most adults worldwide are not receiving the quantity or variety of phytonutrients needed to support their health and wellness.
According to the researchers’ estimates, overall, adults with low intake of fruits and vegetables (less than 5 servings per day) only get about one-half to one-sixth the levels of phytonutrients consumed by adults who had 5 or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
“Phytonutrient intakes vary considerably across some regions, and differences in specific fruit and vegetable availability across the world influence both the quantity and variety of phytonutrients that people get in their diet,” Randolph says.
The study results showed that fruiting vegetables, such as tomatoes and corn, are the most commonly available vegetables globally, while tropical and subtropical fruits, such as plantains, mangoes, and papayas, are the most commonly available fruits globally.
Randolph emphasizes how important it is for primary care providers to regularly encourage patients to eat nutritious whole foods, including fruits and vegetables, whenever possible. He also suggests using research studies, such as this one, to educate patients about where they’re potentially falling short and how they could better optimize their health.
“In situations where diet is not enough for a patient, primary care providers can also educate patients about how supplements can help fill nutritional gaps, delivering the quantity and variety of nutrients in our diets that experts recommend,” Randolph says.
The authors say these findings provide important information about the major dietary patterns of phytonutrient intakes worldwide and can be used to assist in further research to support the development of guidelines for phytonutrient intake.
—Colleen Mullarkey
Reference
Murphy MM, Barraj LM, Spungen JH, Herman DR, Randolph RK. Global assessment of select phytonutrient intakes by level of fruit and vegetable consumption. Br J Nutr. 11 August 2014. [Epub ahead of print].