HEALTH WATCH : C Plus

Nutrition, still scanted as a subject of study in most medical schools, continues to yield some of the most exciting news in medical science. To the growing evidence linking diet to health--or to disease--is now added a new study written by James E. Enstrom of the UCLA School of Public Health and published in the journal Epidemiology. The study’s key finding is that people who have a relatively high intake of Vitamin C--300 to 400 milligrams a day--have notably lower death rates than people who consume less than 50 milligrams daily.

Men in the study who consumed more Vitamin C had a 42% lower death rate overall, and a 45% lower death rate from heart disease. For women, the comparable figures were 10% and 25%. Earlier studies have ascribed to other nutrients, like beta-carotene and Vitamin E, disease-inhibiting qualities.

Among the best sources for Vitamin C are citrus fruits, strawberries, cantaloupes, sweet potatoes, peppers, leafy green vegetables, cauliflower and broccoli. Five servings a day should provide a good level of Vitamin C. The trouble is that only about 9% of Americans eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Vitamin supplements can help, though it’s still not clear whether the body absorbs nutrients from supplements as well as it does from food.

There’s no question now that the right diet can be of primary importance in warding off disease and preventing premature death. That is information worth billions of dollars a year to the national economy. The information is free. All people have to do for a healthier life is act on it.