Ultra-processed food consumption tied to hypertension in Black adults
Black adults who eat ultra-processed foods are at elevated risk for hypertension, according to data presented at the American Heart Association’s virtual Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions.
“The increase in food insecurity over the past year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic makes this research especially timely. People experiencing food insecurity are more likely to purchase and eat ultra-processed food because they cost less and have a longer shelf life. These foods may have become more central in the diet of population groups that were disproportionately affected by the pandemic,” Carol R. Oladele, PhD, MPH, assistant professor at the Equity Research and Innovation Center of the Yale University School of Medicine, said in a press release.
In an analysis of 5,957 participants (23% Black) from the REGARDS Cohort Study, 27% of Black participants were in the top quartile of ultra-processed food consumption compared with 24% of white participants.
According to the researchers, male sex, lower levels of education, lower levels of physical activity and income lower than $35,000 per year were characteristics common to the top quartile of ultra-processed food consumption.
After adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, people in the top quartile of ultra-processed food consumption had 24% greater odds of incident hypertension compared with those in the bottom quartile (OR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.05-1.47), according to the researchers.
The researchers found that in race-stratified models, Black participants in the top quartile had elevated odds (OR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.08-2.22) of incident hypertension.
According to the researchers, in white participants, ultra-processed food consumption was not associated with incident hypertension (OR = 1.16; 95% CI, 0.95-1.41).
“We believe that these results indicate the need for structural interventions to address the inequities in access to affordable, healthy food. Additionally, we suggest a reexamination of food policies to advance food justice in the U.S.,” Oladele said in the release.
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Oladele CR, et al. Presentation 65. Presented at: American Heart Association Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions; May 20-21, 2021 (virtual meeting).