However, the study also found that daily apple eaters are less likely to use prescription medications.
Researchers compared daily apple eaters (those who consumed at least 1 small apple per day or 149 grams of raw apple) with non-apple eaters.
The authors analysed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2008 and 2009-2010). Of the 8,399 survey participants who completed a dietary recall questionnaire, 753 (9 per cent) were apple eaters and 7,646 (91 per cent) were non-apple eaters.
Researchers at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, and colleagues measured "keeping the doctor away" as no more than one elf-reported visit to a physician during the past year.
There was no statistically significant difference between apple eaters and non-apple eaters when it came to keeping the doctor away when sociodemographic and health-related characteristics were taken into account.
However, apple eaters had marginally higher odds of avoiding prescription medications, according to the results.
Researchers found no difference between apple eaters and non-apple eaters when measuring the likelihood of avoiding an overnight hospital stay or a visit to a mental health professional.
"Our findings suggest that the promotion of apple consumption may have limited benefit in reducing national health care spending. In the age of evidence-based assertions, however, there may be merit to saying 'An apple a day keeps the pharmacist away,'" the study concluded.
The study was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.