Increased consumption of fruit and vegetables per day may lower your risk of developing an artery disease that affects blood flow to the legs, researchers say.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) narrows the arteries of the legs, limiting blood flow to the muscles and making it difficult or painful to walk or stand.
The findings revealed that people who ate three or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables had 18 per cent lower odds of PAD than those who ate less.
"Our study provides information that something as simple as adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet could have a major impact on the prevalence of life-altering PAD," said Jeffrey Berger, Associate Professor at New York University School of Medicine in New York City.
The study was reported in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
In addition, the association of lower PAD and increased intake of fruits and vegetables, was found particularly among participants who were current or former smokers.
For the study, the team analysed 3.7 million people whose average age was 64, 6.3 per cent of whom had PAD, and 29.2 per cent reported eating three or more portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
They also completed ankle brachial index texts which compare blood pressure differences between readings at the ankle and the forearm.
Previous studies linked lower consumption of fruits and vegetables with the increased occurrence of coronary heart disease and stroke.
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