Consumption of fried foods linked to increased serious heart disease and risk of stroke

Consumption of fried foods is linked to increased risk of major heart disease and stroke, pooled analysis of available research data published online in the journal reveals Heart.

And the risk increases with each additional 114g weekly serving, the analysis says.

It’s clear the Western diet doesn’t promote good cardiovascular health, but it’s unclear what contribution fried foods might make to the risks of serious heart disease and stroke, the researchers say.

To shed some light on this, they scoured research databases, looking for relevant studies published up to April 2020, and found 19.

They pooled data from 17, involving 562,445 participants and 36,727 major cardiovascular “events,” such as a heart attack or stroke, to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease.

And they pooled data from six, involving 754,873 participants and 85,906 deaths over an average surveillance period of 9.5 years, to assess the potential link between the consumption of fried foods and deaths from disease. cardiovascular disease and any cause.

Their analysis showed that compared to the lowest category of weekly fried food consumption, the highest was associated with a 28% increased risk of major cardiovascular events; a 22% increased risk of coronary heart disease; and an increased risk of heart failure by 37%.

These associations were true when stratified by various studies and participant characteristics. Additionally, a linear association appeared between the consumption of fried foods and major cardiovascular events, coronary heart disease, and heart failure.

These risks increased significantly by 3%, 2% and 12%, respectively, in tandem with each additional weekly serving of 114g.

Several studies included only one type of fried food, such as fried fish, potatoes, or snacks, rather than total intake of fried foods, which may have underestimated the associations found. , suggest the researchers.

No association has been found for deaths from cardiovascular disease or any cause, but that could be due to the relatively small number of people involved, the researchers said.

The designs of the included studies varied widely, and they all relied on memory – factors to consider when interpreting the results, the researchers caution.

And how exactly fried foods could influence the development of cardiovascular disease is not entirely clear, they point out, but suggests several possible explanations.

Fried foods increase energy intake due to their fat content and generate harmful trans fatty acids from the hydrogenated vegetable oils often used to cook them.

Deep-frying also stimulates the production of chemical byproducts involved in the body’s inflammatory response, while foods, such as fried chicken and French fries, are generally high in added salt and often accompanied by sugary drinks, especially when they are served in fast food. restaurants, they say.