Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Adult Diabetes Risk: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

Sajjad Moradi; Mohammad Ali Hojjati Kermani; Reza Bagheri; Hamed Mohammadi; Ahmad Jayedi; Melissa M Lane; Omid Asbaghi; Sanaz Mehrabani; Katsuhiko Suzuki

doi:10.3390/nu13124410

Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Adult Diabetes Risk: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

Nutrients. 2021 Dec 9;13(12):4410. doi: 10.3390/nu13124410.

Authors

Sajjad Moradi^{1

2}, Mohammad Ali Hojjati Kermani³, Reza Bagheri⁴, Hamed Mohammadi⁵, Ahmad Jayedi⁶, Melissa M Lane⁷, Omid Asbaghi⁸, Sanaz Mehrabani⁹, Katsuhiko Suzuki¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Halal Research Center of IRI, FDA, Tehran 314715311, Iran.
² Nutritional Sciences Department, School of Nutritional Sciences and Food Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 6715847141, Iran.
³ Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14167-53955, Iran.
⁴ Department of Exercise Physiology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan 81746-73441, Iran.
⁵ Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14176-13151, Iran.
⁶ Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Science and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14176-13151, Iran.
⁷ IMPACT (The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation), Food & Mood Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3217, Australia.
⁸ Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14167-53955, Iran.
⁹ Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan 81746-73461, Iran.
¹⁰ Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa 359-1192, Japan.

Abstract

(1) Background: Recent individual studies have demonstrated that consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) may be related to type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to synthesize the results from these individual studies by conducting an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies evaluating the association between UPF consumption and the risk of T2DM. (2) Methods: A systematic search was conducted using ISI Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus electronic databases from inception up to August 2021. Data were extracted from five studies (one cross-sectional study and four cohort studies, totaling 230,526 adults from four different countries). Risk ratios (RR) of pooled results were estimated using a random-effects model. (3) Results: Our results revealed that higher UPF consumption was significantly associated with an increased risk of T2DM (RR = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.36, 2.22; I² = 68.9%; p < 0.001; n = 5). Linear dose-response analysis indicated that each 10% increase in UPF consumption (kcal/d) was associated with a 15% higher risk of T2DM (RR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.26; I² = 86.0%; p < 0.001; n = 5) among adults. Non-linear dose-response analysis demonstrated a positive linear association between UPF consumption and T2DM (p_nonlinearity = 0.13, p_{dose-response} < 0.001; n = 5) among adults. (4) Conclusions: A higher intake of UPF was significantly associated with an increased risk of T2DM. However, underlying mechanisms remain unknown and future experimental studies are warranted.

Keywords: diabetes risk; meta-analysis; ultra-processed food.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / etiology*
Fast Foods / adverse effects*
Female
Humans
Male
Observational Studies as Topic
Risk
Risk Assessment