Can an apple a day keep frailty away?

BOSTON - An apple a day may keep frailty away.

Frailty is a condition that can creep in as we age and puts us at higher risk of falls, fractures, disability, hospitalization, and death.

Researchers at Harvard looked at data on middle-aged participants in the Framingham Heart Study and found that those who consumed more flavanols in their diet were at lower risk of developing frailty over 12 years.

Foods rich in flavonols include tomatoes, peaches, and dark chocolate but the protective effect seemed most notable with a particular type of flavonol found in apples and blackberries.

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Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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