New research from Oxford University suggests that eating more fruit could be as beneficial to the over-50s as taking pharmaceuticals. VoR’s Tim Ecott speaks to Dr Adam Briggs from Oxford University.
Doctors at the British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Group found that a higher fruit intake could protect against heart disease and strokes and deliver benefits comparable to prescribing statins. They don't recommend swapping drugs for fruit but say that in preventative terms the fruit would deliver similar protective qualities. Dr Adam Briggs told VoR that “having an increased amount of fruit in your diet can positively affect your health and particularly for heart disease and stroke.” So it is not specifically apples you are recommending, it is just a diet that is richer in fruit and presumably vegetables too? “The data is particularly about fruit but vegetables also have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health. And yes, this can equally be ‘a banana a day keeps the doctor away’.” Dr Adam Briggs says the problem is that it is difficult to change people’s behaviour in an environment where they are constantly bombarded with advertising messages and slogans that potentially promote diets and lifestyles that are not so healthy. “Within the UK about 70 percent of the population don’t manage to get the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. And as much as ten percent of the UK population don’t eat any portions at all.” (Voice of Russia), Tim Ecott, Source: Voice of Russia
