Eating lots of vegetables when young helps keep the heart healthy in middle age

According to scientific research results published in the October 26 issue of the American Heart Association's journal, a diet rich in vegetables and fruits from a young age is the key to a healthy heart in middle age.

Illustration photo. (Source: physicalinstruction.blogspot.com)

Scientists at the Minneapolis Heart Institute monitored and analyzed data from more than 2,500 young people aged 18-30 on diet, lifestyle, blood pressure, weight, smoking habits (if any)...

Twenty years after the study began in 1985, participants underwent computed tomography (CT) scans to assess the extent of calcification in the walls of their coronary arteries. Calcium deposits in the coronary artery walls are thought to increase the risk of heart attack and other coronary artery diseases.

The study participants were divided into three groups based on the amount of fruit and vegetables they consumed each day. On average, each person ate 2.5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. The results showed that people who ate more fruit and vegetables from a young age had a 26% lower risk of coronary artery calcification than those who ate less fruit and vegetables.

Dr. Michael Miedema, a cardiologist and head of the research team, affirmed the importance of eating plenty of vegetables and fruits from a young age, and emphasized that "you shouldn't wait until you're old to adopt a healthy diet."

Previously published studies have shown only benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables for cardiovascular health in middle age.

The study by the Minneapolis Heart Institute further reinforces public health recommendations to limit meat consumption, as earlier in the day the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of the risk of cancer from red meat and processed meat.

According to IARC, processed meat dishes such as sausages, bacon, and meat sauces are at high risk of causing intestinal cancer, while red meats such as beef, pork, and lamb "can produce carcinogens in humans"./.

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