Health effects of vegetables and fruit: assessing mechanisms of action in human experimental studies
Open accessAbstract
Epidemiologic data support the association between high intake of vegetables and fruits and low risk of chronic disease. There are several biologically plausible reasons why consumption of vegetables and fruit might slow or prevent the onset of chronic diseases. Vegetables and fruit are rich sources of a variety of nutrients, including vitamins, trace minerals, and dietary fiber, and many other classes of biologically active compounds. These phytochemicals can have complementary and overlapping mechanisms of action, including modulation of detoxification enzymes, stimulation of the immune system, reduction of platelet aggregation, modulation of cholesterol synthesis and hormone metabolism, reduction of blood pressure, and antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiviral effects. Although these effects have been examined primarily in animal and cell-culture models, experimental dietary studies in humans have also shown the capacity of vegetables and fruit and their constituents to modulate some of these potential disease-preventive mechanisms. The human studies have relied on intermediate endpoints related to disease risk. Design methodologies used include multiple-arm trials, randomized crossover studies, and more compromised designs such as nonrandomized crossovers and pre- and posttreatment analyses. Length of treatment ranged from a single dose to years depending on the mechanism of interest. Stringency of dietary control varied from addition of supplements to a habitual diet to provision of all food for the duration of a treatment. Rigorously conducted experimental dietary studies in humans are an important link between population- and laboratory-based research.
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Phenolic compounds have antioxidant activity which has stimulated nutritional interest.
“Phenolic compounds have antioxidant activity which has stimulated nutritional interest [32].”
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“Phenolic compounds have antioxidant activity which has stimulated nutritional interest [32].”
Background
- Authors
- Lampe, J. W.
- Affiliations
- Fred Hutch Cancer Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lampe, Johanna W
- ORCID
- Lampe, Johanna W
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1999-09
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 475S-490S
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1869100456
- Cited by
- 786
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 36 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 41 · 2012: 49
- FWCI
- 4.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Cancer Institute (R01CA070913, R01 CA70913-01)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
- Keywords
- vegetables, fruits, phytochemicals, chronic disease prevention, mechanism of action, dietary management, detoxification enzymes, immunomodulation, platelet aggregation, cholesterol biosynthesis, hormone metabolism, blood pressure, antioxidants, dietary fiber
- MeSH terms
- Antioxidants, Cholesterol, Diet, Epidemiologic Methods, Fruit, Humans, Phytotherapy, Platelet Aggregation, Primary Prevention, Vegetables, Diet, Vegetarian, Biomarkers, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
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