Vegetable and Fruit Intake Variety and Cardiovascular Health and Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

A multitude of evidence supports the consumption of a higher quantity of vegetables and fruits for their cardiovascular benefits. Nonetheless, the extent to which variety is associated with cardiovascular health remains unclear. To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies (prospective cohort and cross-sectional studies) assessing the role of a variety of vegetable and fruit consumption in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in adults. MEDLINE-PubMed, Cochrane databases, and reference lists were searched through March 2023. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale). Data were pooled (fixed and random [DerSimonian and Laird] effects for