An excessive amount of processed foods is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, a new study says, adding to the body of evidence that describes the impacts that a poor diet can have on heart health.
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, studied a sample of more than 3,000 adults without cardiovascular disease (CVD), focusing on their eating patterns in relation to their lifestyle and habits.
The researchers then cross-referenced these data with mortality data associated with the incidence of CVD to look for any relationship between processed food intake and CVD with potential mortality.
The results indicate that the higher consumption of processed foods is associated with an increased risk of CVD cases and mortality. Specifically, each additional daily serving of processed foods contributes to a 7% higher risk of serious heart problems.
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Some common cases of processed foods include breakfast cereals, protein bars, any breads produced by the industry – including foods commonly marketed as “healthy”.
Fortunately, the cardiovascular events associated with the consumption of processed foods are preventable.
“The consumption of ultra-processed foods represents more than half of the daily calories in the average American diet and is increasingly consumed worldwide. As a poor diet is an important modifiable risk factor for heart disease, it represents a critical target prevention efforts ” said Filippa Juul, faculty member at New York University School of Public Health and lead author of the study.
In addition to heart disease, the sample also registered 5.8% of participants with diabetes and 19% reported having high blood pressure; both diseases were higher among participants who consumed higher amounts of ultra-processed foods.
The average age of the 3,000 volunteers in the sample population was 53.5, with female participants making up more than half of the sample.
The report’s authors suggest taxing some processed foods, such as soft drinks with sugar additives, and reviewing national dietary guidelines to emphasize whole foods as two solutions.
“We must also implement policies that increase the availability, accessibility and accessibility of nutritious and minimally processed foods, especially in disadvantaged populations,” says the report’s summary. “At the clinical level, there is a need for greater commitment to individualized nutritional counseling for the adoption of heart-healthy, sustainable diets.”
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