Cooking frequency and hypertension with gender as a modifier

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Cardiovascular Health

Background:

• Hypertension is a significant global health concern.
• The relationship between cooking frequency and hypertension remains understudied, particularly concerning gender disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between cooking frequency and hypertension.
• To explore potential gender differences in this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study using data from 512,891 participants in the China Kadoorie Biobank.
• Hypertension diagnosis based on established criteria or WHO/ISH guidelines.
• Self-reported cooking frequency (daily, weekly/monthly, never) analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.
• Stratified analyses conducted by demographic and socio-economic characteristics.

Main Results:

• Men who cooked regularly had increased odds of hypertension compared to non-cooks.
• Women who cooked regularly exhibited protective effects against hypertension.
• Socio-economic factors (occupation, income, education, region) modified the cooking-hypertension association in both genders.

Conclusions:

• Cooking frequency shows opposite associations with hypertension in men and women.
• Gender-specific interventions for hypertension management are warranted.
• Socio-economic status plays a crucial role in modifying these gender-specific effects.