US researchers have found a link between fruit and vegetable consumption and memory loss in the elderly.

Scientists at Utah State University said they have discovered that people with the highest intake of fresh produce scored higher on memory tests than people with the lowest intake.

The study uses data taken from more than 5,000 senior citizens in the Cache County area, each of whom completed a standard memory test up to four times over an eight-year period.

One of the largest studies of its kind, the Cache County Study on Memory, Health and Aging is a collaborative effort between researchers at Utah State, Duke University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington.