Table 1 Subgroup analysis of randomized controlled trials reporting overall fruit and vegetable intakes

Study design

RCTs (n = 22) [8, 27–29, 31, 33, 34, 36–45]

97.0 (75.5, 118.6)

<0.0001

94 (93 to 96)

Cluster-RCTs (n = 5) [17, 32, 46–48]

30.8 (9.9, 51.8)

0.004

67 (26 to 88)

Ethnicity

Mainly Black (n = 4) [32, 34, 37, 43]

82.5 (47.6, 117.4)

<0.0001

61 (0 to 87)

Mainly white Caucasians (n = 23) [8, 17, 27–29, 31, 33, 36, 38–42, 44–48]

87.5 (63.8, 112.8)

<0.0001

97 (96 to 98)

Origin of studies

America (n = 14) [31, 32, 34, 36–39, 41–43, 45–48]

112.6 (77.9, 147.3)

<0.0001

98 (97 to 98)

Europe (n = 9) [8, 17, 28, 29, 33, 40]

58.1 (45.0, 71.2)

<0.0001

49 (0 to 76)

Asia (n = 3) [27, 44]

61.4 (29.4, 93.4)

0.0002

0 (0 to 90)

Sex

Women only (n = 7) [36, 38, 39, 42, 45, 46, 48]

117.6 (75.7 to 159.5)

<0.0001

97 (96 to 98)

Men and women (n = 16) [8, 27–29, 31–34, 37, 40, 41, 44]

64.3 (53.6 to 75.0)

0.0001

38 (0 to 66)

Men only (n = 4) [17, 38, 43, 47]

120.4 (-19.9 to 260.8)

0.09

99 (98 to 99)

Follow-up time

4 to 12 months (n = 23) [17, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37–44, 46–49]

85.6 (59.0 to 112.1)

<0.0001

92 (90 to 94)

13 to 58 months (n = 15) [8, 17, 28, 32–34, 36–38, 45, 47]

87.0 (53.2 to 120.9)

0.0001

98 (97 to 98)

Health status

With health risk factors (n = 15) [8, 28, 31–33, 37, 38, 40, 44, 47]

82.7 (49.4 to 116.1)

0.0001

95 (93 to 97)

Healthy participants (n = 11) [17, 27, 29, 34, 36, 39, 41–43, 45],[46, 48]

91.5 (62.7 to 120.4)

<0.0001

96 (94 to 97)

Mode of intervention delivery

Face to face (n = 16) [8, 17, 27–29, 32, 36, 38–41, 43–45, 47]

97.6 (69.2 to 125.9)

<0.0001

97 (98 to 99)

Indirect (for example, telephone, post) (n = 10) [31, 33, 34, 37, 42, 44, 46, 48]

68.4 (40.8 to 94.5)

<0.0001

64 (29 to 82)