Introduction: A multitude of evidence supports the consumption of a higher quantity of vegetables and fruits for their cardiovascular benefits. Nonetheless, the extent to which variety is associated with cardiovascular health remains unclear.
Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies (prospective cohort and cross-sectional studies) assessing the role of a variety of vegetable and fruit consumption in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in adults.
Data sources: MEDLINE-PubMed, Cochrane databases, and reference lists were searched through March 2023.
Data extraction: Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale).
Data analysis: Data were pooled (fixed and random [DerSimonian and Laird] effects for <5 and ≥5 study comparisons, respectively), and heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochran Q statistic and quantified (I2 statistic). The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to assess the overall certainty of the evidence. Five cross-sectional (n = 45,761) and seven prospective studies (n = 253,422) met the eligibility criteria. Greater variety of vegetable and fruit consumption was prospectively related to decreased all-cause mortality (risk ratio, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.82-0.97], seven study comparisons, n = 196,925), while no significant associations were observed with assessed cardiovascular-related mortality or morbidity. For all outcomes, the certainty of the evidence was graded as "low" or "very low" owing to inconsistency and/or imprecision.
Conclusions: Overall, this study shows that greater variety in vegetable and fruit consumption may reduce all-cause mortality and highlights the need for additional studies with a higher degree of evidence to better understand its role in cardiovascular health.
Keywords: cardiovascular disease; fruit variety; grade approach; mortality; stroke; vegetable variety.