Fruit, but Not Vegetable, Intake Is Positively Associated With Lean Mass, Handgrip Strength, and 4-m Walking Speed in Kidney Transplant Patients

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between fruit and vegetable intake and lean mass, muscle strength, and functional capacity in kidney transplant patients (KTPs). METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study including 123 KTPs aged 18 years or older who had received a kidney transplant at least 3 months prior to study inclusion. Lean mass was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Muscle strength was evaluated using handgrip strength and the five times sit-to-stand test. Functional capacity was assessed using the 4-m walking speed. Fruit and vegetable intake was estimated based on two 24-hour dietary recalls collected using the five-step multiple-pass method. Linear regression analysis was performed to examine the association between fruit and vegetable intake and muscle-related outcomes, with adjustments for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: Fruit intake (servings) was positively associated with lean mass (kg) (β = 0.522; P = .024), handgrip strength (kg) (β = 0.874; P = .012), and walking speed (m/s) (β = 0.021; P = .014). However, no significant association was observed between fruit intake and performance on the five times sit-to-stand test. Vegetable intake was not significantly associated with any of the muscle-related parameters evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Fruit, but not vegetable, intake was positively associated with lean mass, handgrip strength, and 4-m walking speed in KTPs.