A study conducted by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the United States of America revealed that consuming sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages and processed meats may increase the risk of heart disease.
Researchers tracked the ultra-processed food intake of more than 200,000 people for nearly three decades to see if they developed heart disease or stroke. The results of the study were published in The Lancet.
After taking into account other risk factors such as smoking, family health history, sleep and exercise, the researchers found that those who ate the most ultra-processed foods were 11% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, and 16% more likely to develop coronary heart disease. During the study period, compared to those who ate less ultra-processed foods.
The researchers combined their results with the results of 19 other studies to conduct a separate analysis of about 1.25 million adults. They found that those who ate the most ultra-processed foods were 17% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, 23% more likely to develop coronary heart disease and 9% more likely to have a stroke than the lowest consumers.
The researchers also analyzed whether certain types of ultra-processed foods were more associated with cardiovascular disease than others.
Among the foods that have been studied are:
– Breads and cereals (with subgroups of breakfast cereals, dark/wholemeal breads and breads made from refined grains).
– Sauces, fats and seasonings.
– Packaged snacks and sweets.
– Packaged salty snacks.
– Sugar-sweetened drinks.
– Red meat, poultry and processed fish.
– Ready-to-eat dishes.
– Desserts made with yogurt/dairy products.
– Artificially sweetened drinks.
Two of the ultra-processed foods that have been studied were clearly associated with greater health risks: sugar-sweetened beverages (such as soda and fruit juices) and processed meats, poultry, and fish (such as fried fish products, chicken sausages, and salami sandwiches).
The researchers determined that not all sugars are bad, as salty snacks, cereals and desserts made with yogurt/dairy products were associated with a lower risk of heart disease, and processed breads and cereals were associated with a lower risk of stroke.
Dr. Kenny Mendoza, one of the authors of the study from the Department of Nutrition, at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in an interview with author Alice Callahan published in the American New York Times, “The differences between good foods and bad foods may be due to how they are processed and what they provide.” Nutritional value. For example, processed meats tend to be high in sodium and saturated fat, and soft drinks and other sugary drinks are often high in sugar, while whole grains and breads, even those that are ultra-processed, can provide valuable nutrients such as Fiber, minerals and B vitamins.