A high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with higher total mortality in an adult Mediterranean population

Abstract

Background & aims: The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) has been associated with higher all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, although this association has not been sufficiently investigated in Mediterranean populations. We aimed to evaluate the association between UPF consumption and all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality in an adult population in Spain.

Methods: We analysed data from 1,538 participants aged 20 years and above in the Valencia Nutrition Survey in 1995. Diet was assessed at baseline using a validated food frequency questionnaire and the consumption of UPF was calculated using the NOVA system. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and presence of diseases was also collected at baseline. Cause of death was ascertained during an 18-year follow-up period. We used Cox regression and competing risk models as proposed by Fine and Gray's to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 %CI).

Results: After 18 years of follow-up, we documented 312 deaths (36.5 % of CVD and 25.6 % of cancer). Compared with participants in the lowest tertile of UPF consumption, those in the highest tertile showed 40 % higher risk of all-cause mortality, HR 1.40 (95 %CI: 1.04-1.90), and evidence of a higher CVD mortality, HR 1.39 (95 %CI: 0.80-2.41) and of cancer mortality, HR 1.53 (95 %CI: 0.83-2.82).

Conclusions: This study suggests that a high UPF consumption is associated with a higher all-cause mortality in a Mediterranean population after a long follow-up period. Considering the increase in UPF consumption and their detrimental health effects on mortality, these results should be confirmed by other studies in other populations.

Keywords: Cancer; Cardiovascular diseases; Mortality; Nutrition survey; Ultra-processed food.