Young people who consume large amounts of fruits and vegetables will have a healthier heart in their middle age, according to a recent study.
Researchers led by Michael Miediema, senior consulting cardiologist and clinical investigator at the Minneapolis Heart Institute in Minneapolis, found that eating more than five servings of fruits and vegetables daily as young adults was associated with less calcified coronary artery plaque 20 years later, "which indicates a reduced risk of heart disease," Reuters reported.
"People shouldn't assume that they can wait until they're older to eat healthy--our study suggests that what you eat as a young adult may be as important as what you eat as an older adult, " Miedema said in a statement.
For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from more than 2,500 people. The participants were divided into three groups based on their daily consumption of fruits and vegetables. Women in the top third ate an average of nearly nine servings of daily fruits and vegetables and men averaged more than seven daily servings. In the bottom third, women consumed an average 3.3 daily servings and men 2.6 daily servings. All servings were based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.
Researchers found that people who ate the most fruit and vegetable at the study's start had 26 percent lower odds of developing calcified plaque 20 years later, compared to those who ate the least amount of fruits and vegetables, HealthDay reported.
"Our findings support public health initiatives aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable intake as part of a healthy dietary pattern," Miedema said. "Further research is needed to determine what other foods impact cardiovascular health in young adults."
The findings are detailed in the journal Circulation.
