More Greens, Stronger Steps: The Role of Fruit and Vegetable Intake in Preserving Physical Function

Background and aim Dietary habits, particularly the intake of fruits and vegetables, are widely recognized as modifiable risk factors for health outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the association between fruit and vegetable consumption and self-reported walking difficulties in a large population-based sample, adjusting for mental health status, sex, and education. Methods We performed a cross-sectional observational study using a subset of data from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a nationwide telephone-based survey coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A binomial logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between fruit and vegetable intake and the presence of walking difficulties. The model included additional predictors: mental health, sex, and education level. Model fit was assessed using AIC, pseudo R², and ROC curve analysis. Results Lower consumption of fruits was significantly associated with higher odds of walking difficulties (OR: 0.948, 95% CI: 0.926–0.971, p < 0.001), as was lower vegetable intake (OR: 0.748, 95% CI: 0.728–0.768, p < 0.001). Mental health status showed a progressive increase in odds across severity levels, with odds ratios ranging from 1.202 (95% CI: 1.142–1.265) to 4.896 (95% CI: 4.706–5.094), all with p < 0.001 except for level 1 (OR: 0.948, 95% CI: 0.885–1.016, p = 0.129) and level 13 (OR: 1.685, 95% CI: 0.817–3.477, p = 0.158). Sex (female vs. male) was associated with decreased odds of walking difficulties (OR: 0.728, 95% CI: 0.711–0.744, p < 0.001). Education level also emerged as a significant predictor: individuals with only primary education (level 6) had substantially higher odds (OR: 0.262, 95% CI: 0.188–0.364, p < 0.001) compared to those with university education (reference level 1), while intermediate levels showed a gradient of effect (e.g., level 4: OR: 0.649, 95% CI: 0.467–0.903, p = 0.010). The model showed acceptable discrimination (AUC = 0.703) Conclusion Low fruit and vegetable intake is independently associated with increased odds of walking difficulties, even after controlling for mental health, sex, and education. These findings underlines the role of a healthy diet as a fundamental public health strategy to improve overall functional status and prevent declines in muscle strength and performance. As highlighted in recent research published in * Nature Medicine * , a better understanding of the relationship between lifestyle behaviors can accelerate our efforts to improve healthy aging for which poor diet is a risk factor.