A Diet High in Fried Foods Could Increase Your Risk of Heart Failure by Up to 40%, Study Finds

Eating lots of fried foods could increase the risk of heart failure by 37%, the researchers warn.

The unhealthy diet has also been linked to other cardiovascular problems, such as a 28% higher risk of heart attack or stroke. The threat of coronary heart disease has been increased by 22%.

The risk increases with each additional 114g weekly serving of foods like French fries and fried chicken, according to the study from the University of Shenzhen, China. It aggregated data from 23 reports involving more than a million people, the Heart newspaper said.

The analysis showed that compared to the lowest category of weekly fried food consumption, the highest was associated with a significantly higher risk of heart problems around 10 years later.

Eating lots of fried foods could increase heart failure risk by 37%, researchers warn

He found a linear association between the consumption of fried foods and major cardiovascular events, coronary artery disease and heart failure.

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

The researchers offer several explanations for their results.

Fried foods generally contain a high amount of dietary fat and lead to excessive energy intake, which can increase the risk of heart problems.

A study analyzed as part of the research found that those who ate fried foods four or more times a week were 37% more likely to be obese – which is known to lead to heart problems.

The risk increases with each additional 114g weekly serving of foods like French fries and fried chicken, according to the study from the University of Shenzhen, China.

Second, fried foods contain harmful trans fatty acids from the hydrogenated vegetable oils often used to cook them.

Fried foods are generally high in added salt and are often accompanied by sugary drinks, especially when served at fast food restaurants, the researchers added.

They concluded: “Our study provided evidence of adverse effects of consuming friendly foods on cardiovascular disease and may be useful for dietary recommendations.

“The World Health Organization has suggested limiting the consumption of fried foods to reduce total fat intake and intake of industrially produced trans fatty acids for a healthy diet.

“However, no dietary guidelines are approved for the specific effect of consuming fried foods on cardiovascular disease.”