'10-a-Day' Keeps CVD Away
On average UK adults do not meet the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day, despite their association with a healthy diet. A recent study by Aune et al. [1] suggested that greater reductions in risk of chronic disease are observed when consuming up to 10 portions per day. From reviewing this research and discussing the wider literature, it has been determined that higher intakes of fruits and vegetables reduce risk of CVD. It could be thought 10 portions may be unachievable for most, yet even a small increase can help optimise long term health. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number 1 cause of death globally [2] and is a significant health burden to the UK [3] , costing the NHS over £6.8 billion annually [4] . Atherosclerosis is the mechanism that underlies the main CVDs of coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebrovascular disease [2] . Macrophages in the arterial intima scavenge oxidised low-density lipoprotein (LDL) [5] , become foam cells and