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Daily food targets

Daily food-group targets in dietary guidance rest mainly on dose-response meta-analyses of large prospective cohorts. In adults, eating more fruit and vegetables, whole grains, dietary fibre and nuts each day is associated with lower all-cause mortality and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, with the lowest mortality seen at about five servings of fruit and vegetables and about 25 to 29 g of fibre a day, while more red and processed meat is associated with higher risk. The WHO sets population targets of at least 400 g of fruit and vegetables and at least 25 g of fibre a day for everyone older than 10. Because the evidence is mostly observational, the strongest grade here is moderate.

  • Longevity
  • Vegan

Evidence retrieved up to

What the research shows

In adults without chronic disease, the lowest risk across a range of outcomes in prospective studies was seen at a dietary fibre intake of about 25 to 29 g a day, and higher fibre intake, as part of a healthy lifestyle, may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Moderate certaintyFurther research may change the size of the effect.
No known concerns at usual amountsBenefit

Who this is about

adults without chronic disease

Practical note

Graded moderate, matching the GRADE rating the review authors gave fibre: 185 prospective studies and 58 trials, with trials showing lower body weight, systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol at higher fibre intakes. The WHO target of at least 25 g a day of naturally occurring fibre for everyone older than 10 sits at the lower end of that range.

Vegan note

Vegan diets built on legumes, whole grains, vegetables and fruit are typically high in fibre.

Sources

In adults, each additional daily serving of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and fish was associated with lower all-cause mortality, and higher intake of red and processed meat with higher mortality, in a meta-analysis of prospective studies.

Low certaintyFurther research is likely to change this.
No known concerns at usual amountsBenefit

Who this is about

adults in prospective cohort studies

Practical note

Graded low: observational cohorts with possible residual confounding and heterogeneity across food groups. The nut meta-analysis reported results per 28 g a day of nuts and estimated a mortality burden attributable to intakes below 20 g a day.

Vegan note

Fish was among the food groups linked with lower mortality; the plant food groups (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts) carry the same direction of association on a vegan diet.

Sources

In adults, higher intake of whole grains and fruits was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and higher intake of red meat, processed meat and sugar-sweetened beverages with a higher risk; as part of a healthy lifestyle, whole grains and fruit may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Moderate certaintyFurther research may change the size of the effect.
No known concerns at usual amountsBenefit

Who this is about

adults in prospective cohort studies

Practical note

Graded moderate: the meta-analysis authors graded whole grains, red meat, processed meat and sugar-sweetened beverages high and fruit moderate; downgraded one level here because all of it is observational. Legumes and nuts were graded low.

Vegan note

Dairy was also associated with lower risk in this meta-analysis; on a vegan diet the association rests on the plant food groups (whole grains, fruits).

Sources

In adults, higher daily fruit and vegetable intake is associated with lower all-cause mortality and, as part of a healthy lifestyle, may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease; in a meta-analysis of 26 cohorts the lower mortality levelled off at about five servings a day.

Moderate certaintyFurther research may change the size of the effect.
No known concerns at usual amountsBenefit

Who this is about

adults in prospective cohort studies

Practical note

Graded moderate: observational evidence (starts low) upgraded for a consistent dose-response gradient across two large meta-analyses; heterogeneity for all-cause mortality was high in one (I2 83 percent). One study reported a plateau at about five servings a day (two of fruit, three of vegetables) and the other reported reductions up to about 800 g a day; fruit juice and potatoes were not associated with mortality. The WHO population target is at least 400 g a day for everyone older than 10.

Vegan note

Fruit and vegetables are central to a vegan diet; the cohorts were mostly general populations rather than vegans.

Sources

In adults, higher daily whole grain intake is associated with lower all-cause mortality and, as part of a healthy lifestyle, may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, with risk reductions seen up to about seven servings a day, while refined grains showed little association.

Moderate certaintyFurther research may change the size of the effect.
No known concerns at usual amountsBenefit

Who this is about

adults in prospective cohort studies

Practical note

Graded moderate: cohort evidence upgraded for dose-response, with low heterogeneity for coronary heart disease (I2 9 percent) but high heterogeneity for all-cause mortality (I2 83 percent); a 2019 GRADE review rated whole-grain evidence low to moderate. The 2016 meta-analysis expressed intake per 90 g a day, which it described as about three servings such as two slices of bread and one bowl of cereal.

Vegan note

Whole grains are plant foods and fit a vegan diet without change.

Sources