Increased ultra-processed food consumption is associated with worsening of cardiometabolic risk factors in adults with metabolic syndrome: Longitudinal analysis from a randomized trial
Sandra González‐Palacios, Alejandro Oncina-Cánovas, Manuela García de la Hera, Miguel Ángel Martínez‐González, Jordi Salas‐Salvadó, Dolores Corella, Helmut Schröder, J. Alfredo Martínéz, Ángel M. Alonso‐Gómez, Julia Wärnberǵ, Dora Romaguera, José López‐Miranda, Ramón Estruch, Francisco J. Tinahones, José Lapetra, J. Luís Serra‐Majem, Naomi Cano-Ibañez, Josep A. Tur, Vicente Martín, Xavier Pintó, Miguel Delgado‐Rodríguez, Pilar Matía-Martín, Josép Vidal, Clotilde Vázquez, Lidia Daimiel, Emilio Ros, Maira Bes‐Rastrollo, Alessandro Atzeni, José V. Sorlí, María Dolores Zomeño, Patricia J. Peña‐Orihuela, Laura Compañ‐Gabucio, Francisco Javier Barón-López, M. Ángeles Zulet, Jadwiga Konieczna, Rosa Casas, Eva María Garrido-Garrido, Lucas Tojal‐Sierra, Ana María Gómez‐Pérez, Miguel Ruiz‐Canela, Antoni Palau‐Galindo, Carmen Sáiz, Karla Alejandra Pérez‐Vega, Antoni Sureda, Laura Torres‐Collado, Javier Basterra-Gortari, Tany E. Garcidueñas-Fimbres, Mireia Malcampo, Jesús Vioqué
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The association between changes in ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors remains understudied. We evaluated the association between changes in UPF consumption over 12 months of follow-up and changes in CMR factors in adults diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: We analysed data from 5373 adults (aged 55-75 years) participating in the PREDIMED-Plus trial. Diet was evaluated at baseline, 6- and 12-month visits using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and UPF consumption (in grams/day and percentage of total daily dietary intake in grams) was categorized based on NOVA classification. We used mixed-effects linear models with repeated measurements at baseline, 6 and 12 months of follow-up to assess the associations between changes in UPF consumption and changes in CMR factors adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyles variables. RESULTS: , β = 0.39; 0.33 to 0.46); waist circumference (cm, β = 1.03; 0.81 to 1.26); diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg, β = 0.67; 0.29 to 1.06); fasting blood glucose (mg/dl, β = 1.66; 0.61 to 2.70); HbA1c (%, β = 0.04; 0.01 to 0.07); triglycerides (mg/dl, β = 6.79; 3.66 to 9.91) and triglycerides and glucose index (β = 0.06; 0.04 to 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: Higher UPF consumption was associated with adverse evolution in objectively measured CMR factors after 12 months of follow-up in adults with metabolic syndrome. Further research is needed to explore whether these changes persist for longer periods.