Ultra-processed foods make up 58% of total energy in the average U.S. diet, but diet is a variable risk factor in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Study published in the Journal of the American College of Geology found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of CVD incidence and mortality, with each additional daily serving found to increase risk.
“Consumption of ultra-processed foods makes up more than half of the daily calories in the average American diet and is consumed more and more worldwide. Because a poor diet is a major variable risk factor for heart disease is an essential target in prevention efforts, “said Filippa Juul, MS, PhD, a faculty associate at New York University School of Public Health and lead author of the study. “Our findings contribute to a growing body of evidence suggesting the cardiovascular benefits of restricting ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed foods are ubiquitous and include many foods marketed as healthy, such as protein bars, breakfast cereals and industrially made bread, nationwide strategies are needed such as a tax on sugary drinks and other ultra-processed foods and recommendations in terms of processing levels in national diet guidelines to reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods, of course, we also need to implement policies that increase the availability, accessibility and affordability of nutritious foods, processed sparingly, especially in unbalanced numbers At the clinical level, greater commitment to individual nutritional counseling is needed for receptors l to a heart healthy diet. “
When processed foods can remove beneficial nutrients and other naturally occurring benefits, while adding unhealthy nutrients and food products. Processing also alters the physical structure of foods. Consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with obesity, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.
Researchers used data from the Offspring Framingham Study to examine the role of ultra-processed foods in cardiovascular disease. After excluding participants with pre-existing CVD or past data, the study included 3,003 middle-aged adults (53.5 years on average). More than half of the participants were female, 33.1% had gone through 16 years or more of education and two-thirds were current or current smokers. The study participants were predominantly Caucasian. Overall, diabetes was 5.8% and blood pressure was high at 19%; there was a higher frequency among participants who were high users of ultra-processed foods compared with low users.
Diet was assessed by post using a food questionnaire where participants reported the frequency of consumption of certain foods in the previous year, with choices ranging from
Using a modified version of the NOVA framework, which classifies foods according to the size and purpose of the industrial processing they perform, food classification researchers conducted a food questionnaire into five categories:
- Unprocessed or lightly processed foods, including fresh, dried or frozen plant and animal food
- Cooking ingredients, including table sugar, oil, fat, salt and other items used in kitchens to make cooking preparations
- Processed foods, including canned fish and vegetables from artisanal tin and cheese
- Ultra-processed foods, including industrial formulations made with very few whole foods or derived from additives such as flavors or preservatives
- Cooking preparations, which included mixed dishes which were identified as having been made at home or which were thought to be made due to a lack of detailed information
The researchers studied acute incident CVD (sudden and sudden coronary death, heart attack and fatal / non-fatal stroke) and severe coronary heart disease (sudden and sudden coronary death and stroke). heart). During an average of 18 years of follow-up, a total of 648 cardiovascular events occurred, including 251 cases of severe CVD and 163 cases of severe coronary heart disease (CHD). 713 were killed in the ensuing period, including 108 CVD deaths. Participants with the highest levels of ultra-processed foods had higher incidence rates compared to those who ate the least amount of ultra-processed foods.
Each daily serving of ultra-processed food was associated with a 7% increase in acute CVD risk, a 9% increase in acute CHD risk, a 5% increase in total CVD and a 9% increased risk in cardiovascular disease death. . The researchers also found that bread intake was associated with an increased risk of severe CVD, severe CHD and overall mortality, while the intake of ultra-processed meat was associated with an increased risk of severe CVD. and total CVD. Salty snack foods were associated with an increased risk of severe CVD and CHD, while consumption of low-calorie soft drinks was associated with a greater risk for total CVD.
In an accompanying edition, Robert J. Ostfeld, MD, MSc, and Kathleen E. Allen, MS, RD, wrote, “Recognizing that a number of factors feed into an individual’s food choice, where to go Ultimately, the goal should be to make the unhealthy choice the hard choice and the healthy one the easy choice. “
The limitations of the study include the observational nature of the study, as well as the potential for measurement error in diet and undervaluation and overestimation of ultra-processed foods due to misclassification. In addition, the participants in the Offspring Framingham Study are predominantly Caucasian and have higher levels of education and income than the general U.S. population, which limits the overall ability of their co-workers. conclusions.
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March is National Nutrition Month. CardioSmart, ACC’s patient education platform, has resources on heart-healthy eating, diet guidelines, tips for making good nutrition easier and how you can shake off the salt intake. Learn more at Cardiosmart.org/EatBetter.
The 2019 ACC / AHA Guidance on the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease provides a framework for clinicians to prevent heart disease and promote a healthy lifestyle throughout patients ’lives.
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