Fruit, Vegetables May Lower Metabolic Syndrome Risk

Lowered incidence of metabolic syndrome may be associated with lower C-reactive protein levels

FRIDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Eating higher amounts of fruit and vegetables is linked to a lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome. This lower incidence may be due to lower plasma C-reactive protein concentrations, according to the results of an Iranian study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Ahmad Esmaillzadeh, Ph.D., of the Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, and colleagues evaluated the relation between vegetable and fruit intake, C-reactive protein concentrations and metabolic syndrome incidence using a food-frequency questionnaire in 486 women.

Respondents reported a mean intake of 228 grams/day of fruit and 186 grams/day of vegetables. Fruit and vegetable ingestion was inversely associated with plasma C-reactive protein levels and this remained significant after controlling for confounding factors. Persons with the highest fruit intake had a 34 percent lower risk for the metabolic syndrome and those with the highest vegetable intake had a 30 percent lower risk than those whose intake was lowest.

"Higher intakes of fruit and vegetables are associated with a lower risk of the metabolic syndrome; the lower risk may be the result of lower C-reactive protein concentrations. These findings support current dietary recommendations to increase daily intakes of fruit and vegetables as a primary preventive measure against cardiovascular disease," the authors conclude.

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