Fruit consumption and physical activity in relation to all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among 70,000 Chinese adults with pre-existing vascular disease

Abstract

To assess the associations of fresh fruit consumption and total physical activity with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among Chinese adults who have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (CVD) or hypertension. During 2004–08, the China Kadoorie Biobank study recruited 70,047 adults, aged 30–79 years, with physician-diagnosed stroke or transient ischaemic attack, ischemic heart disease, or hypertension. Information on diet and physical activity was collected using an interviewer-administered electronic questionnaire. Cox regression was used to yield hazard ratios (HRs) for the independent and joint associations of fresh fruit consumption and total physical activity with mortality. At baseline, 32.9% of participants consumed fresh fruit regularly (i.e. >3 days/week) and the mean total physical activity were 15.8 (SD = 11.8) MET-hr/day. During ~7-years follow-up, 6569 deaths occurred with 3563 from CVD. Compared to participants with 16.53 MET-hr/day) was associated with about 40% lower mortality. Among Chinese adults with pre-existing vascular disease, higher physical activity and fruit consumption were both independently and jointly associated with lower mortality.