Eating ONE serving of ultra-processed foods a day can increase your risk of heart disease by 9%

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  • Ultra-processed foods include sweets, chips, chocolate, some bread and rolls
  • It also includes low-calorie “healthy” drinks, protein bars, and some cereal bars
  • The study authors do not name any specific product by brand, only the types of foods

Having a single serving of ultra-processed foods, such as chips, sweets, chocolate and burgers, can increase your risk of dying from heart disease by 9%, according to the study.

Researchers at New York University used data from a study of 3,003 middle-aged adults to examine the role of processed foods in cardiovascular disease.

The team found that increased consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and worsens when more is eaten.

“Our findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting cardiovascular benefits of limiting ultra-processed foods,” said Filippa Juul, lead author of the study.

Drinking low-calorie soft drinks and other “healthy” brand snacks, including cereal and protein bars, was also linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

Having a single serving of ultra-processed foods, such as chips, sweets, chocolate and burgers, can increase your risk of dying from heart disease by 9%, according to the study

TYPES OF ULTRAPROCESSED FOODS

Some ultra-processed foods are unexpected, including “healthy” branded products.

This includes protein bars, breakfast cereals and most industrially produced breads.

Other examples of ultra-processed foods include carbonated beverages, sweet or savory packaged snacks, ice cream, chocolate and sweets.

It also includes margarines and cakes, cold cuts and burgers.

The list would include many fast food products, but the authors did not name any brands.

When food is processed, it can eliminate good nutrients and other natural benefits, while adding non-beneficial nutrients and food additives.

Processing also changes the physical structure of food, the team added.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods is related to a number of health issues and problems.

Includes: Being overweight / obese, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and now heart disease.

“Consumption of ultra-processed foods accounts for more than half of the daily calories of the average American diet and is increasingly consumed worldwide.

“Because malnutrition is a major modifiable risk factor for heart disease, it represents a critical target in prevention efforts,” Juul said, adding that ultra-processed foods include many that are marketed as healthy. .

This includes foods such as protein bars, breakfast cereals and most industrially produced breads.

“Strategies are needed for the entire population, such as the imposition of sugar-sweetened beverages and other ultra-processed foods, and recommendations on processing levels of national dietary guidelines,” Juul warned.

This is if governments want to reduce their intake of ultra-processed foods and, in turn, help people have a healthier lifestyle.

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“Of course, we also need to implement policies that increase the availability, accessibility and affordability of nutritious and minimally processed foods, especially in disadvantaged populations,” the author added.

“At the clinical level, greater commitment to individualized nutritional counseling is needed to adopt sustainable and heart-healthy diets.”

The researchers used data from the Framingham Offspring study to examine the role of ultraprocessed foods in cardiovascular disease (CVD).

After excluding participants with pre-existing or missing data, ECVs, the study included 3,003 middle-aged adults with a mean age of 53.5 years.

Drinking low-calorie soft drinks and other “healthy” brand snacks, including cereal and protein bars, was also linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Stock image

FIVE CATEGORIES OF FOOD HEALTH

  • Unprocessed or minimally processed foods, including fresh, dried or frozen plant and animal foods
  • Processed culinary ingredients, including table sugar, oils, fats, salts and other items used in kitchens to make culinary preparations
  • Processed foods, including foods such as canned fish and vegetables and artisanal cheeses
  • Ultra-processed foods, including industrial formulations made from zero or minimal whole foods and produced with additives such as flavorings or preservatives
  • Culinary preparations, which included combined dishes that were indicated homemade or that were supposed to be homemade for lack of detailed information

More than half of the participants were women, 33.1% had 16 years or more of education, and two-thirds were former or current smokers.

Overall, 5.8% had diabetes and 19% had high blood pressure, with a prevalence of both among those who eat a lot of ultra-processed foods.

The diet was assessed by mail using a food questionnaire where participants reported the frequency of consumption of certain foods in the previous year, with options ranging from less than one serving per month to six servings per day.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s nutrient database was used to calculate nutrient intakes from notified dietary intakes and classified foods into five categories.

These categories include fresh or unprocessed, processed foods, including sugars and oils, processed foods, including preserves, ultra-processed foods, including fast food burgers and fries, and finally foods. home-cooked food with minimal information.

The researchers examined the incidences of stroke, heart disease and other related problems that appear suddenly and slowly over time.

WHAT IS A HEART STOP?

A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops pumping blood around the body, which is usually due to a problem with the electrical signals in the organ.

This causes the brain to lack oxygen, which causes patients to not breathe and lose consciousness.

In the UK, more than 30,000 cardiac arrests occur outside the hospital each year, compared to more than 356,000 in the United States.

Cardiac arrest is different from heart attacks, which occur when the blood supply to the heart muscle is closed due to a clot in one of the coronary arteries.

The most common causes include heart attacks, heart disease and inflammation of the heart muscle.

Drug overdose and loss of a large amount of blood can also be to blame.

Making an electrical discharge through the chest wall using a defibrillator can restart the heart.

Meanwhile, CPR can keep oxygen circulating through the body.

The researchers examined the incidences of stroke, heart disease and other related problems that appear suddenly and slowly over time.

This was divided into hard ECV, including sudden sudden coronary death, heart attack and stroke, and CHD (coronary heart disease), sudden death, and heart attack.

During an average of 18 years of follow-up, a total of 648 cardiac events occurred, including 251 cases of sudden cardiovascular disease and 163 cases of sudden coronary heart disease among those involved in the study.

There were 713 deaths during the follow-up period, including 108 deaths from cardiovascular disease.

Participants with the highest intake of ultra-processed foods had higher incident rates compared to those who consumed the least amount of ultra-processed foods.

Each daily serving of ultra-processed foods was associated with a 7% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease, a 9% increase in the risk of severe cardiovascular disease, a 5% increase in global cardiovascular disease, and a 9% increase in mortality due to cardiovascular disease. cardiovascular diseases.

The researchers also found that bread intake was associated with an increased risk of hard CVD, hard CHD and overall mortality, while ultraprocessed meat intake was associated with an increased risk of hard CVD and general CVD.

Salty snacks were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and hard disease, while consumption of low-calorie soft drinks was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The findings have been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

OBESITY: ADULTS WITH A BMI OVER 30 SEE AS ​​OBESE

Obesity is defined as an adult with a BMI of 30 or more.

The BMI of a healthy person, calculated by dividing the weight in kg by the height in meters, and the response again by the height, ranges from 18.5 to 24.9.

Among children, obesity is defined as the 95th percentile.

The percentiles compare young people with others of the same age.

For example, if a three-month-old has the 40th percentile in terms of weight, that means that 40% of three-month-olds weigh the same or less than that baby.

About 58% of women and 68% of men in the UK are overweight or obese.

The condition costs the NHS around £ 6.1 billion, out of its approximate budget of £ 124.7 billion, each year.

This is because obesity increases a person’s risk of suffering from various diseases.

These conditions include type 2 diabetes, which can cause kidney disease, blindness, and even limb amputations.

Research suggests that at least one in six hospital beds in the UK is occupied by a patient with diabetes.

Obesity also increases the risk of heart disease, which kills 315,000 people each year in the UK, making it the leading cause of death.

The transport of dangerous amounts of weight has also been linked to 12 different cancers.

This includes the breast, which affects one in eight women at some point in their lives.

Among children, research suggests that 70% of obese young people have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, putting them at risk for heart disease.

Obese children are also much more likely to become obese adults.

And if children are overweight, their obesity in adulthood is usually more severe.

Up to one in five children starts school in the UK overweight or obese, reaching one in three when they turn ten.

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