A new study published in JACC: Advances has shown that regularly eating ultra-processed foods such as packaged snacks and sugary drinks may significantly raise your risk of heart attack, stroke, or death due to heart disease.
The prospective cohort study included over 6,800 adults in the U.S. between the ages of 45 and 84 years old. At the start of the study, none of the participants had been diagnosed with any form of cardiovascular disease. Using a food questionnaire, each participant’s consumption of ultra-processed foods was measured and classified based on intake. Questionnaires were implemented from 2000 to 2002, and follow-up exams were conducted through 2012. During the follow-up exams, participants were monitored for cardiovascular disease including heart attacks and strokes. Additionally, all participants were monitored for death due to cardiovascular disease. Ultra-processed foods have been previously linked to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and this study sought to further clarify this relationship with a particular focus on racial and ethnic diversity in participants.
The results showed that those who ate the most processed foods had a 67% higher chance of having a heart attack or stroke, or of dying due to cardiovascular disease, compared to participants who ate the least processed foods. This effect was particularly pronounced for Black Americans. Participants in the highest intake category averaged 9.3 servings of ultra-processed foods per day, while those in the lowest category averaged 1.1 servings per day. Ultra-processed foods include foods such as processed meats, cereals, white bread, packaged snacks, chips, ice cream, candy, and soda.
The authors of the study noted that this was a well-controlled study that separated ultra-processed foods from other confounding factors. The results suggest that regardless of the number of calories you consume per day, your overall diet quality, or the presence of health issues such as high cholesterol or obesity, eating more ultra-processed foods is likely to significantly raise your heart disease risk.
Sources: JACC Advances, Science Daily
