Fruits and vegetables intake in the SU.VI.MAX study and systolic blood pressure change

BACKGROUND: In intervention studies (DASH), high fruits and vegetables intake lower blood pressure (BP). Less is known on long-term effects of fruits and vegetables intake on BP, especially in European population. OBJECTIVE: To study the relation between fruits and vegetables intake and BP change in the SU.VI.MAX study. METHOD: In the SU.VI.MAX study (1994-2002), BP was measured and information on medical treatment was collected during two clinical examination session in 1995-1996 and 2001-2002. Dietary information came from 24 h dietary records completed every two months, by each volunteer during the first two years of follow-up. We performed a transversal analysis of BP measured at the first clinical examination in 6 427 subjects aged 36-62 years. A longitudinal analysis including subjects without hypertension at baseline was performed on BP change between the two examination (n=2958). RESULTS: At first examination, after adjusting for main confounding factors, subjects reporting high vegetables intake (last quintile) had a lower (-1.6 mmHg, p trend <0.01) systolic BP (SBP) than subjects reporting lower intake (first quintile). High fruits intake was slightly associated with lower SBP (1.1 mmHg, NS). At the end of the follow-up, the mean increase of SBP was of 9.5 mmHg. This increase was 2.2 mmHg lower (p < 0.003) in the last quintile of vegetables intake. No similar relation was observed with fruits intake. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that vegetables intake may be associated with lower BP and a lower increase of BP over years. This last association may have implications for the prevention of hypertension which appears with aging.