Ultra-processed food consumption and the incidence of hypertension in a Mediterranean cohort: The Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra Project
American Journal of Hypertension, 12/13/2016
In this study, researchers investigate the relationship between ultra–processed food intake and the incidence of hypertension in a Mediterranean cohort. In this large prospective cohort of Spanish middle–aged adult university graduates, a positive relationship between ultra–processed food (UPF) intake and hypertension risk were seen. Additional longitudinal studies are needed to affirm the outcomes.
Methods
- They prospectively assessed the association between UPF intake and the risk of hypertension in a prospective Spanish cohort, the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra project.
- They included 14,790 Spanish adult university graduates who were initially free of hypertension at baseline who were taken after for a mean of 9.1 years (SD, 3.9 years; total person–years: 134,784).
- UPF (industrial formulations of chemical compounds which, beyond substances of common culinary utilization, for example, salt, sugar, oils, and fats, include substances also derived from foods however not utilized in culinary preparations) intake was evaluated utilizing a validated semi–quantitative 136–item food–frequency questionnaire.
- Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to evaluate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for hypertension incidence.
Results
- Amid follow–up, 1,702 incident cases of hypertension were distinguished.
- Participants in the highest tertile of UPF intake had a higher risk of developing hypertension (adjusted HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06, 1.37; P for trend = 0.004) than those in the lowest tertile after adjusting for potential confounders.