If all over-50s ate just one apple every day, around 8,500 heart attack deaths and strokes in the UK could be avoided each year, according to research from the University of Oxford.
In a study published recently in the British Medical Journal, the Oxford researchers found that the eating of apples gives cardiovascular health a similar boost to some medicines – only without their side-effects.
However, the assumptions in the research are based on modelling rather than a first-hand scientific study.
The report also stated that while any fruit should provide the same health benefits as an apple, getting people to take up the approach could prove to be a challenge.
Speaking about the findings, Dr Adam Briggs said the research highlights how people can experience significant health benefits by making just small changes to their diets.
The ‘Apple-a-day keeps the doctor away’ mantra – which Briggs called “brilliantly clear and simple” – was devised in the Victorian period. The Oxford team said the saying is now particularly applicable to those over the age of 50, who are at an increased risk of developing vascular diseases.
Councils and non-profits can encourage locals to eat more fruit and veg or undertake exercise more often, using professional services like flyer printing, in Oxford and other cities, to publicise the health benefits and offer advice.
The researchers came to their conclusions using a large body of previously conducted trials and observations that looked at hundreds of thousands of patients.
The Stoke Association’s Dr Peter Coleman agreed that everyone can benefit from maintaining a balanced diet.
