INTRODUCTION: Adequate intake of FRUITs AND VEGETABLEs as part of the daily diet could help prevent major non-communicable diseases including osteoporosis. Some nutrients abundant in FRUITs AND VEGETABLEs have been shown to affect bone health. In the present study we evaluated FRUIT AND VEGETABLE intake in postmenopausal women with osteopenia who had referred to bone mineral densitometry center of Shariati hospital in Tehran. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study was carried out on 51 healthy postmenopausal women aged 45-60 years. Bone mineral density was measured by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry at lumbar spine AND total hip. All women were osteopenic according to WHO criteria. Food groups’ intake was assessed by 2 days 24 hour recall. Bone resorption was calculated by measuring carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type Ι collagen (crosslaps) AND bone formation by measuring serum osteocalcin. RESULTS: No significant correlation was found for current food groups’ intake AND bone mineral density at either lumbar spine or total hip. FRUIT AND VEGETABLE intake was significantly negatively correlated with osteocalcin level (r = -0.4, P< 0.001). Serum osteocalcin level in those who consumed more than 400 grams of FRUIT AND VEGETABLE daily was significantly lower than in the others (18±6.5 compared with 30±13.7, P<0.05). DISCUSSION: Increasing FRUIT AND VEGETABLE intake up to WHO recommendations for prevention of many chronic diseases can also be effective in prevention of osteoporosis AND reducing fracture risk in postmenopausal osteopenic women. Intake of at least 400 grams  of FRUITs AND VEGETABLEs daily can complement what is currently recommended for osteoporosis prevention.    

The study was conducted to evaluate the nutritive value of FRUIT AND VEGETABLE wastes (FVW) from central FRUIT AND VEGETABLE market in Karaj as ruminant feed. Samples were obtained weekly during four months of February, March, April AND May AND analyzed according to AOAC (1990) procedures. The average of DM, Ash, CP, CF, EE, NFE, NDF, ADF, Lignin, Ca AND P were 10.91, 27.65, 14.16, 11.51, 1.075, 45.38, 38.39, 33.45, 7.51, 3.61, AND 0.57 percent, respectively. The average of Cu, Zn AND Pb were 41.7, 109.4, 35.0 mg/Kg, respectively. The average of gross energy of the samples was 3261.7 Cal/g. A completely rANDomize design (CRD) was used with 4 treatments AND 4 replications in each treatment. No significant difference was observed among the above mentioned measurements except for CF, NFE, Zn AND Pb (p<0.05). The digestibility of FVW was measured only for air-dried sample of May. Total fecal collection method was applied using four wether sheep. The digestibility for DM, OM, CP, CF, EE, NFE AND GE were: 59.43, 74.54, 64.38, 62.16, 42.77, 81.02, AND 73.78 percent respectively. The TDN content of the sample was 52.8 percent AND DE was 2.40 (Mcal/Kg). Results indicated that FVW which collected, dried AND preserved under ideal condition could be used in the nutrition of non- lactating AND finishing ruminants.

Background: Only limited data are available on the benefits of FRUITs AND VEGETABLE consumption on CVD risk factors. The aim of this study was to examine whether AND to what extent intake of FRUITs AND VEGETABLEs are inversely associated with cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors in adults.Methods: In this population-based cross-sectional study a representative sample of 840 Tehranian adults (361 men AND 479 women) aged 18-74 years were rANDomly selected in 1998. Usual dietary intake was assessed with the use of food frequency questionnaire. Portion sizes of consumed foods were converted from household measures to grams AND analyzed by using Nutritionist III software designed for Iranian foods. Subjects were categorized based on category cut-points. : 0-1.9, 2-2.9, 3.0- 3.9, AND>=4 servings/d.Results: In multivariate logistic regression after adjusting for confounders, dietary FRUITs AND VEGETABLE were found to be significantly AND inversely associated with CVD risk factors. Adjusted odds ratio for high LDL concentrations were 1.00, 0.88, 0.81, 0.75(P for trend < 0.01) in first model which was adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), energy intake, smoking status, dietary cholesterol, AND prevalence of diabetes mellitus AND coronary artery disease, a trend which was not appreciably altered by additional adjustment for education, physical activity, AND saturated, polyunsaturated, total fat, Potassium AND vitamin C intakes. This association was observed across categories of smoking status, physical activity, AND tertiles of the Keys score.Conclusion: Consumption of FRUITs AND VEGETABLEs more than 4 servings a day is associated with lower concentrations of total cholesterol AND LDL-C AND with decrease in the risk of cardiovascular diseases.