Anne-Claire Vergnaud,
Teresa Norat,
Dora Romaguera,
Traci Mouw,
Anne M May,
Isabelle Romieu,
Heinz Freisling,
Nadia Slimani,
Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault,
Françoise Clavel-Chapelon,
Sophie Morois, Rudolf Kaaks,
Birgit Teucher,
Heiner Boeing,
Brian Buijsse,
Anne Tjønneland,
Jytte Halkjær,
Kim Overvad,
Marianne Uhre Jakobsen,
Laudina Rodríguez,
Antonio Agudo,
Maria-José Sánchez,
Pilar Amiano,
José María Huerta,
Aurelio Barricarte Gurrea,
Nick Wareham,
Kay-Tee Khaw,
Francesca Crowe,
Philippos Orfanos,
Androniki Naska,
Antonia Trichopoulou,
Giovanna Masala,
Valeria Pala,
Rosario Tumino,
Carlotta Sacerdote,
Amalia Mattiello,
H Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita,
Fränzel JB van Duijnhoven,
Isabel Drake,
Elisabet Wirfält,
Ingegerd Johansson,
Göran Hallmans,
Dagrun Engeset,
Tonje Braaten,
Christine L Parr,
Andreani Odysseos,
Elio Riboli, and
Petra HM Peeters
Abstract
Background: Fruit and vegetable consumption might prevent weight gain through their low energy density and high dietary fiber content.
Objective: We assessed
the association between the baseline consumption of fruit and vegetables
and weight change in participants from
10 European countries participating in the European
Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study.
Design: Diet was assessed
at baseline in 373,803 participants by using country-specific validated
questionnaires. Weight was measured
at baseline and self-reported at follow-up in most
centers. Associations between baseline fruit and vegetable intakes (per
100 g/d) and weight change (g/y) after a mean
follow-up of 5 y were assessed by using linear mixed-models, with age,
sex,
total energy intake, and other potential
confounders controlled for.
Results: After exclusion
of subjects with chronic diseases at baseline and subjects who were
likely to misreport energy intakes, baseline
fruit and vegetable intakes were not associated
with weight change overall. However, baseline fruit and vegetable
intakes
were inversely associated with weight change in men
and women who quit smoking during follow-up. We observed weak positive
associations between vegetable intake and weight
change in women who were overweight, were former smokers, or had high
prudent
dietary pattern scores and weak inverse
associations between fruit intake and weight change in women who were
>50 y of age,
were of normal weight, were never smokers, or had
low prudent dietary pattern scores.
Conclusions: In this
large study, higher baseline fruit and vegetable intakes, while
maintaining total energy intakes constant, did not
substantially influence midterm weight change
overall but could help to reduce risk of weight gain in persons who stop
smoking.
The interactions observed in women deserve
additional attention.
Am J Clin Nutr January 2012 vol. 95 no. 1 184-193