Association Between Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: MESA (Multiethnic Study of...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Nutritional Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) consumption is associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes.
• Previous studies on UPFs often lack racial and ethnic diversity.
• Understanding UPF impact across diverse groups is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal association between UPF consumption and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk.
• To determine if this association varies by race/ethnicity, sex, or socioeconomic status.
• To provide insights into health disparities related to dietary patterns.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the prospective Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort.
• Classified UPF consumption using the Nova system.
• Employed multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to assess incident CVD events.

Main Results:

• Each daily serving increase in UPF consumption correlated with a 5.1% higher ASCVD risk.
• Individuals with the highest UPF intake faced a 66.8% greater risk compared to the lowest intake group.
• A significant interaction between UPF intake and Black race indicated a more pronounced ASCVD risk in Black Americans.

Conclusions:

• Higher UPF consumption is significantly associated with increased ASCVD risk in a multiethnic population.
• The association between UPFs and ASCVD risk is more pronounced among Black Americans.
• Findings underscore the importance of considering race/ethnicity in dietary guidelines and cardiovascular disease prevention strategies.