Association Between Apple Consumption and Physician Visits

Appealing the Conventional Wisdom That an Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Importance  Fruit consumption is believed to have beneficial health effects, and some claim, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Objective  To examine the relationship between eating an apple a day and keeping the doctor away.

Design, Setting, and Participants  A cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of the noninstitutionalized US adult population. A total of 8728 adults 18 years and older from the 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey completed a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire and reported that the quantity of food they ate was reflective of their usual daily diet.

Exposures  Daily apple eaters (consuming the equivalent of at least 1 small apple daily, or 149 g of raw apple) vs non–apple eaters, based on the reported quantity of whole apple consumed during the 24-hour dietary recall period.

Main Outcomes and Measures  The primary outcome measure was success at “keeping the doctor away,” measured as no more than 1 visit (self-reported) to a physician during the past year; secondary outcomes included successful avoidance of other health care services (ie, no overnight hospital stays, visits to a mental health professional, or prescription medications).

Results  Of 8399 eligible study participants who completed the dietary recall questionnaire, we identified 753 adult apple eaters (9.0%)—those who typically consume at least 1 small apple per day. Compared with the 7646 non–apple eaters (91.0%), apple eaters had higher educational attainment, were more likely to be from a racial or ethnic minority, and were less likely to smoke (P < .001 for each comparison). Apple eaters were more likely, in the crude analysis, to keep the doctor (and prescription medications) away: 39.0% of apple eaters avoided physician visits vs 33.9% of non–apple eaters (P = .03). After adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, however, the association was no longer statistically significant (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.93-1.53; P = .15). In the adjusted analysis, apple eaters also remained marginally more successful at avoiding prescription medications (odds ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.00-1.63). There were no differences seen in overnight hospital stay or mental health visits.

Conclusions and Relevance  Evidence does not support that an apple a day keeps the doctor away; however, the small fraction of US adults who eat an apple a day do appear to use fewer prescription medications.

http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2210883

Didn't work for me, I used to eat loads of apples and yet here I am.

I avoid most fruit except berries now but I do know a couple of diabetics who can eat an apple - but only while walking.

chris c wrote:Didn't work for me, I used to eat loads of apples and yet here I am.

I avoid most fruit except berries now but I do know a couple of diabetics who can eat an apple - but only while walking.

I'm with you on the berries Chris. I wonder how much that study cost. How long before we see a study on a Walls Pork Sausage involving thousands of people, and can it cure Saint Vitus Dance.

"Sydenham's chorea or chorea minor (historically referred to as Saint Vitus Dance) is a disorder characterized by rapid, uncoordinated jerking movements primarily affecting the face, hands and feet."

Hang on a minute, ANDY!

so technically, I've been dancing?

"  the small fraction of US adults who eat an apple a day do appear to use fewer prescription medications."

Studies aside ... surely encouraging people to eat whole fresh foods ... may also mean issuing fewer prescription medications?

Growing up we always had fresh fruit and vegetables in the house (although I've nothing against Frozen or tinned vegetables,  they can come in handy sometimes ...) but in recent decades the go to snack for many is the packet of crisps, digestive or oreo type biscuits etc.

These higher type carb snacks don't do any of us that good, but of course they can be cheaper and such an easy go to food.

Fresh fruit should always be in a fruit bowl easily accessible for a child / adult to grab and enjoy at least once a day, I'm not suggesting we stand/sit and consume six in one go. As a child I was always encouraged to eat a fruit a day ... and I am so pleased to see that the grandchildren are too.

It's blueberries on the menu tonight, with a nice dollop of thick double cream YUM!  

All the best Jan

I just stuffed my face with a Bolognese-type sauce of fried bacon, mushrooms, multicoloured peppers, chillies, garlic, olives and ground beef topped with grated cheese and baked, with half a dozen sprouts, a glass of Argentinian Cab Sauv/Merlot and a square of 85% chocolate.

Now I've given our DUK lurker a heart attack, I'm maybe going to be in the mood for a bowl of blueberries, double cream, ground flaxseed and brandy in about six hours time.