A secondary analysis of data from more than 371,000 US adults has found that individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) or CVD risk factors reported consuming whole fruit less frequently than those without these conditions, with associations persisting after adjustment for demographic variables. The findings are published in Current Developments in Nutrition.
The study used data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a nationally representative telephone survey collecting information on chronic conditions and health behaviours. Researchers compared whole fruit and 100% fruit juice consumption frequencies across groups with and without hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
After adjustment for age, race, ethnicity, education, income, and smoking status, whole fruit consumption was less frequent among participants reporting high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, or a history of heart attack. The association between lower whole fruit consumption and stroke did not persist after adjustment. Fruit juice consumption showed a different pattern: participants with a history of heart attack consumed juice more frequently, while those with high cholesterol consumed it less frequently. Fruit juice frequency did not differ significantly after adjustment for high blood pressure, stroke, or coronary heart disease.
Average consumption frequencies were 1.06 times per day for whole fruit and 0.3 times per day for fruit juice across the full sample. The differences between groups, while statistically significant in several cases, were described by the authors as small.
The study’s cross-sectional design means causality cannot be established, and it is not possible to determine whether dietary patterns preceded or followed diagnosis. The survey measured consumption frequency rather than quantity and did not account for physical activity, body mass index, or vegetable intake.
Source: Kesler BJ et al. Examining the Differences in Frequency of Whole Fruit or 100% Fruit Juice Intake among United States Adults With and Without Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors. Current Developments in Nutrition (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2026.109517
