Fruit and vegetable intakes and subsequent changes in body weight in European populations: results from the project on Diet, Obesity, and Genes (DiOGenes)

Background: High fruit and vegetable intakes may limit weight gain, particularly in susceptible persons, such as those who stop smoking. Objective: The objective was to assess the association of fruit and vegetable intake with subsequent weight change in a large-scale prospective study. Design: The data used were from 89,432 men and women from 5 countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). The association between fruit and vegetable intake and weight change after a mean follow-up of 6.5 y was assessed by linear regression. Polytomous logistic regression was used to evaluate whether fruit and vegetable intake relates to weight gain, weight loss, or both. Results: Per 100-g intake of fruit and vegetables, weight change was –14 g/y (95% CI: –19, –9 g/y). In those who stopped smoking during follow-up, this value was –37 g/y (95% CI: –58, –15 g/y; P for interaction <0.0001). When weight gain and loss were analyzed separately per 100-g intake of fruit and vegetables in a combined model, the odds ratios (95% CIs) were 0.97 (0.95, 0.98) for weight gain 0.5 and