Associations of ultra-processed food consumption with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: UK Biobank

Background: This study aimed to investigate the associations between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in the UK Biobank Cohort.

Methods: This observational prospective study evaluated 60 298 participants aged 40 years or older. We used the NOVA classification system to identify and categorize UPF. The associations among UPF consumption, cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and all-cause mortality were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Dose-response analysis of UPF consumption and CVD incidence and mortality was performed using a restricted cubic spline.

Results: After a median follow-up of 10.9 years, 6048 participants (10.0%) experienced CVD events, and 5327 (8.8%) and 1503 (2.5%) experienced coronary heart and cerebrovascular diseases, respectively. There were 2590 (4.3%) deaths, of which 384 (0.6%) deaths were caused by CVD. A higher intake of UPF was associated with a higher risk of CVD and all-cause mortality (all P < 0.001). A higher intake of UPF was associated with a higher risk of CVD [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-1.26], coronary heart disease (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.07-1.25), cerebrovascular disease (HR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.13-1.50) and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.09-1.36). The association of UPF consumption with a range of CVD incidents and all-cause mortality was monotonic (all P for non-linearity > 0.30).

Conclusions: A higher proportion of UPF consumption was associated with CVD and all-cause mortality. Thus, actions to limit UPF consumption should be incorporated into the CVD and all-cause mortality prevention recommendations.