Gaby
A large-scale study from Harvard Medical Center (USA) found that eating five servings of fruits and vegetables can be as beneficial as taking a 4,000-step walk.
Dr. Michael Mi, the study’s lead author, said the team collected data showing a link between good nutrition and better physical fitness.
The study involved 2,380 middle-aged Americans. Participants first completed a questionnaire about their diet over the past year, reporting how often they ate 126 different foods. They then performed physical tests — including treadmill workouts — while researchers collected health measurements from the volunteers, with a particular focus on heart function.
The team also accounted for factors such as age, gender, total daily energy intake, body mass index, smoking habits, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and regular physical activity levels.
The researchers found that people who followed a healthier diet tended to have higher physical fitness.
Healthy Eating as a Key to Wellness
The researchers said a higher-quality diet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. That diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish, and healthy fats, while limiting red meat and alcohol, the Daily Mail reported.
Volunteers who stuck to a Mediterranean-style diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, showed the same level of physical fitness as participants who walked about 4,000 steps a day.
“In middle-aged adults, healthy eating was strongly associated with physical fitness,” Dr. Mi emphasized. He added that the link was consistent across men and women and was stronger in people under 54.
The researchers determined that the daily minimum for fruits and vegetables was five servings.
Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, which helps with weight management and can boost metabolism. They are also packed with antioxidants that reduce inflammation and lower the risk of other health problems.
