The latest study, published in the British Medical Journal, examined the association between fruit and vegetable intake and risk of premature death. Its findings contradict recent research which found that eating seven portions a day holds the lowest risk of death.
Consuming five portions is linked to a lower risk of premature death, but eating more appears to have no further effect, the new study has concluded.
Researchers from China and the US analysed 16 studies involving more than 830,000 participants. Higher consumption of fruit and veg was significantly associated with a lower risk of death from all causes, particularly cardiovascular disease.
The average risk of death from all causes was reduced by about 5% for each additional daily serving of fruit and vegetables, but beyond five portions, there was no additional benefit noted. Current NHS guidance is to eat at least five portions of fruit and veg a day.
A previous study in England found eating seven or more portions a day was healthier than the current recommendations and could prolong lives.
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said: “The majority of people in England are not eating enough fruit and vegetables, with the latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) data from 2008 to 2012 showing that only 30% of adults and 41% of older adults met the 5-a-day recommendation.
“Eating a healthy, balanced diet that is high in fruit, vegetables and fibre, and low in saturated fat, sugar and salt, alongside being more active, will help you to maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.”
Obesity is linked to a heightened risk of dementia in later life, according to an observational study published online in the Postgraduate Medical Journal.
But the findings show that the age at which a person is obese seems to be a key factor, with an apparent tripling in risk for people in their 30s.
Estimates suggest that almost 66 million people around the globe will have dementia by 2030, with the numbers predicted to top 115 million by 2050.