Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Body Mass Index in a Large Sample of Middle-Aged Australian Men and Women

Abstract

Dietary guidelines around the world recommend increased intakes of fruits and non-starchy vegetables for the prevention of chronic diseases and possibly obesity. This study aimed to describe the association between body mass index (BMI) and habitual fruit and vegetable consumption in a large sample of 246,995 Australian adults aged 45 + year who had been recruited for the “45 and Up” cohort study. Fruit and vegetable intake was assessed using validated short questions, while weight and height were self-reported. Multinomial logistic regression was used, by sex, to assess the association between fruit and vegetable intake and BMI. Compared to the referent normal weight category (BMI 18.5 to 24.9), the odds ratio (OR) of being in the highest vegetable intake quartile was 1.09 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–1.14) for overweight women (BMI 25.0–29.9) and 1.18 (95% CI 1.12–1.24) for obese women. The association was in the opposite direction for fruit for overweight (OR 0.85; 95% CI 0.80–0.90) and obese women (OR 0.75; 95% CI 0.69–0.80). Obese and overweight women had higher odds of being in the highest intake quartile for combined fruit and vegetable intake, and were more likely to meet the “2 and 5” target or to have five or more serves of fruit and vegetables per day. In contrast, overweight men were less likely to be in high intake quartiles and less likely to meet recommended target of 5 per day, but there was no consistent relationship between obesity and fruit and vegetable intake. Underweight women and underweight men were less likely to be in the highest intake quartiles or to meet the recommended targets. These data suggest that improving adherence to dietary targets for fruit and vegetables may be a dietary strategy to overcome overweight among men, but that overweight and obese women are already adhering to these targets. The association between fruit and vegetable intake and underweight in adults suggests that improving fruit and vegetables intakes are important for the overall dietary patterns of people in this group.

Differences in food and nutrient intakes between Australian‐ and Asian‐born women living in Australia: Results from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health

“…However, the proportion of women who consumed the recommended serves of fruit and vegetables is still low, especially for vegetables, with less than 30% of participants meeting the recommendations serves. This fruit and vegetable intake pattern is similar to that reported in other studies, with a relatively higher proportion of people meeting recommendations for fruit rather than vegetable intake in Australia; and the converse in Asia, where a higher proportion of people meet the requirements for vegetables rather than for fruit . Furthermore, women born in Asia who migrated to Australia consumed fewer servings of vegetables than Australian‐born women, and also, the earlier they came to Australia, the more vegetables consumed per day.…”

“…Insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables commonly occurs both in Asia and Australia . However, while Asian people tend to consume a diet that is relatively high in vegetables and low in fruit, the reverse is true in Australia …”

“…16,17 However, while Asian people tend to consume a diet that is relatively high in vegetables and low in fruit, 18 the reverse is true in Australia. 16,17,19 The dietary habits of a population are dynamic and changeable. 8,20 For instance, traditional, largely plant-based diets have been swiftly replaced by high-fat, energy-dense diets, with a substantial content of animal-based foods.…”

The impact of sociodemography, diet, and body size on serum retinol in women 16–35 years of age: SANHANES‐1

“…These assumptions are supported by Medin et al ., who showed that overweight and obese adolescent children in Baerum, Norway reported a lower vegetable intake and a corresponding lower concentration of plasma carotenoids . The diet of older women, on the other hand, was more diverse and included nutrient‐dense food . Charlton et al .…”

“…84 Charlton et al confirmed this by showing that obese adult Australian women had higher odds of consuming all foods, including fruits and vegetables, in larger amounts; hence, their dietary intakes reached the highest quartile for combined fruit and vegetable intake, thereby increasing the likelihood of consuming the recommended intake of five or more fruits and vegetables servings per day. 84 Underweight adult Australian women, on the other hand, consumed less food overall, including fruits and vegetables, and were less likely to meet the recommended targets. Moreover, Azagba and Sharaf 85 corroborated these findings by showing that the BMI of adults in Canada was negatively and significantly associated with fruit and vegetable consumption.…”