Author Identifier (ORCID)
Simone Radavelli-Bagatini's ORCID record 
Lauren C. Blekkenhorst's ORCID record
Nicola P. Bondonno's ORCID record
Catherine Bondonno's ORCID record
Reindolf Anokye's ORCID record
Mandy J. Stanley's ORCID record
Joanne M. Dickson's ORCID record
Abstract
Background & aims: Poor nutritional habits are linked to higher perceived stress, but the relationship between fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and stress is uncertain. The primary aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between FV intake and perceived stress in a population-based cohort of men and women aged ≥ 25 years from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) Study. A secondary aim was to investigate the relationship between serum carotenoids, biomarkers of FV intake, and perceived stress.
Methods: In Australian men and women, dietary intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire in 1999–2000 (n = 8689). Perceived stress was assessed using a validated Perceived Stress Questionnaire [PSQ index values ranging from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest)]. Serum carotenoids were measured in a subset of participants (n = 1187) using high-performance liquid chromatography. Multivariable-adjusted linear and logistic regression were performed to investigate the associations between FV intake and perceived stress. Results Mean age of participants was 47.4 (SD 14.1) years (49.8% females). Participants with the highest intakes of FV had 10% lower PSQ index values than those with the lowest intake [Q4: 0.27 ± 0.004 vs. Q1: 0.30 ± 0.004 (mean ± SE), p = 0.004]. Similar associations were found for fruits and vegetables, analysed separately. In subgroup analyses higher FV intake was associated with lower perceived stress in the middle-aged adults [ ≥ 45- < 65 years (p = 0.004)], but not in the younger ( < 45 years) and older participants ( ≥ 65 years). Higher FV intake was also significantly associated with lower perceived stress in men (p = 0.009) and women (p = 0.012), separately. Serum carotenoid levels were inversely associated with perceived stress before, but not after adjusting for age and other confounding factors.
Conclusion: In Australian adults, higher FV intake was associated with lower perceived stress, particularly in the middle-aged adults. These findings support current recommendations that fruit and vegetables are essential for health and well-being.
Keywords
AusDiab, Australian adults, perceived stress, fruit and vegetable intake, healthy lifestyle, public health messages
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
5-31-2021
Publication Title
Clinical Nutrition
Publisher
Elsevier
School
Institute for Nutrition Research / School of Medical and Health Sciences / School of Arts and Humanities / Graduate Research School
RAS ID
35506
Funding Information
The salary of LCB is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Emerging Leadership Investigator Grant (ID: 1172987) and a National Heart Foundation of Australia Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (ID: 102498). The salary of JRL is supported by a National Heart Foundation of Australia Future Leader Fellowship (ID: 102817). The salary of JMH is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Senior Research Fellowship (ID: 1116973). The salary of JES is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant (ID: 1173952).
Funding received from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
1116973, 1172987
Administering Institution
Edith Cowan University
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
First Page
2860
Content Type
Full object
Last Page
2867
Recommended Citation
Radavelli-Bagatini, S., Blekkenhorst, L. C., Sim, M., Prince, R. L., Bondonno, N. P., Bondonno, C. P., ... Lewis, J. R. (2021). Fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with perceived stress across the adult lifespan. Clinical Nutrition, 40(5), 2860-2867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.043
Comments
This is an author's accepted manuscript of: Radavelli-Bagatini, S., Blekkenhorst, L. C., Sim, M., Prince, R. L., Bondonno, N. P., Bondonno, C. P., ... Lewis, J. R. (2021). Fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with perceived stress across the adult lifespan. Clinical Nutrition, 40(5), 2860-2867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.043