Vegetable and fruit consumption: some past, present and future practices.

In Western populations, historically, from early times until the 19th century, diets were composed largely of plant foods-cereals, beans, vegetables and fruit. The huge majority of populations were very poor with restricted food choices. The same situation prevails with most present-day Third World populations, although principally with rural dwellers. In Western populations, in recent times, stemming largely from urbanization and rise in prosperity, and accompanying increased partiality to animal foods, there have been falls in the intake of some plant foods yet rises in others. Potato intake has halved, whereas vegetable consumption has increased only slightly, although that of fruit more so. National consumptions of these foodstuffs vary widely, those in the United Kingdom and United States of American being only about half of those in Mediterranean countries, Spain, Portugal and Greece. In the former countries, present dietary guidelines urge that vegetable consumption be doubled, with fruit up by a half. In southern Africa, consumption of vegetables and fruit by the white population appears similar to those in The USA and UK. Yet in African cities, intake is low due to their cost. In view of the protective role of high vegetable and fruit intake in the combating of coronary heart disease and many forms of cancer, the relatively low consumption of these foodstuffs, especially in the poorer populations, is disappointing, and alas, appears unlikely to rise in the near future.