Oct. 12, 2005 -- If you want to live a longer, healthier life, you might wan
Oct. 12, 2005 -- If you want to live a longer, healthier life, you might want to include carrots and other brightly colored fruits and vegetables in your diet.
A nutrient found in those foods stood out in a European study of senior citizens. Elders with higher blood levels of the nutrient -- called carotene -- had fewer deaths, especially from cancer.
There were also fewer heart disease deaths among seniors with higher blood carotene levels who weren't overweight. Those people had a body mass index, or BMI, of less than 25.
The report appears in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Clues in Blood
The researchers who worked on the study included Brian Buijsse of the Netherlands' Center for Nutrition and Health.
Buijsse and colleagues studied 1,168 European men and women for a decade. The participants were 70-75 years old when the study started.
Participants provided blood samples and completed questionnaires about their baseline health history, use of vitamin supplements, smoking status, physical activity, and alcohol use.
The blood samples were checked for carotene and a form of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol). Both nutrients are , chemicals that are found naturally in many fruits and vegetables that have been studied as potential disease-fighters.
Another round of blood tests was done five years later on about half of the participants.
Fewer Deaths
During the study, 388 participants died.
Participants with BMIs of 25 or greater (overweight or obese) had lower average levels of carotene than those with BMIs of less than 25. Levels of alpha-tocopherol were not associated with .
Women had higher levels of both alpha-tocopherol and carotene compared with men.
Participants with higher blood levels of carotene had fewer deaths from any cause, fewer cancer deaths, and fewer heart disease deaths (for those with a BMI of less than 25).
No such benefits were seen with blood levels of alpha-tocopherol, the researchers report.
For perspective, the researchers added results from four other observational studies to their analysis. That reinforced their findings.
More Work Ahead
These studies were observational. No one was given a special diet or supplements to study longevity. So the findings don't prove that carotene was the reason why some participants lived longer than others.
People with higher blood levels of carotene might have benefited from other nutrients in fruits and vegetables, the researchers note. They also didn't ask the participants to write down what they ate, or if their food and supplement habits changed over time.
Participants' education level didn't affect the results. Other factors (such as smoking or social/economic status) couldn't be ruled out as possible influences.
Real-World Recommendations
The study doesn't include any recommendations about supplements or diet. The researchers call for more research on the topic and suggest that perhaps use of carotene supplements may not be as health-protective.
The U.S. government recommends eating five to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet.
"A growing body of research proves that fruits and vegetables are critical to promoting good health. In fact, fruits and vegetables should be the foundation of a healthy diet. Most people need to double the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat every day," states the web site of the U.S. government's "Eat 5 to 9 A Day for Better Health."
A serving should fit within the palm of your hand. Examples include a medium-sized piece of fruit, a cup of raw salad greens, or a half-cup of cooked vegetables. Go for a mix of colors, such as blueberries, tomatoes, spinach, and onions, suggests the "Eat 5 to 9 A Day For Better Health" web site.
