Impact of ultra-processed food intake on the risk of COVID-19 : a prospective cohort study
(2023) In European Journal of Nutrition 62(1). p.275-287- Abstract
Purpose: Nutrition plays a key role in supporting the human immune system and reducing the risk of infections. However, there is limited evidence exploring the relationship between diet and the risk of COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the associations between consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and COVID-19 risk. Methods: In total, 41,012 participants from the UK Biobank study with at least 2 of up to 5 times 24-h dietary assessments were included in this study. Dietary intakes were collected using an online 24-h dietary recall questionnaire and food items were categorized according to their degree of processing by the NOVA classification. COVID-19 infection was defined as individuals tested COVID-19 positive or dead of... (More)
Purpose: Nutrition plays a key role in supporting the human immune system and reducing the risk of infections. However, there is limited evidence exploring the relationship between diet and the risk of COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the associations between consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and COVID-19 risk. Methods: In total, 41,012 participants from the UK Biobank study with at least 2 of up to 5 times 24-h dietary assessments were included in this study. Dietary intakes were collected using an online 24-h dietary recall questionnaire and food items were categorized according to their degree of processing by the NOVA classification. COVID-19 infection was defined as individuals tested COVID-19 positive or dead of COVID-19. Association between average UPF consumption (% daily gram intake) and COVID-19 infection was assessed by multivariable logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Compared to participants in the lowest quartile of UPF proportion (% daily gram intake) in the diet, participants in the 2nd, 3rd, and highest quartiles were associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 with the odds ratio (OR) value of 1.03 (95% CI: 0.94–1.13), 1.24 (95% CI: 1.13–1.36), and 1.22 (95% CI: 1.12–1.34), respectively (P for trend < 0.001), after adjusting for potential confounders. The results were robust in a series of sensitivity analyses. No interaction effect was identified between the UPF proportions and age groups, education level, body mass index, and comorbidity status. BMI mediated 13.2% of this association. Conclusion: Higher consumption of UPF was associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 infection. Further studies are needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms in such association.
(Less)
- author
- Zhou, Lihui ; Li, Huiping LU ; Zhang, Shunming LU ; Yang, Hongxi ; Ma, Yue and Wang, Yaogang
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- COVID-19, Diet, Epidemiology, Nutrition, Ultra-processed food
- in
- European Journal of Nutrition
- volume
- 62
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 275 - 287
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85136158996
- pmid:35972529
- ISSN
- 1436-6207
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00394-022-02982-0
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 78faa2c8-222c-4c27-aecb-92c005a22749
- date added to LUP
- 2022-10-06 14:41:18
- date last changed
- 2024-09-20 05:10:26
@article{78faa2c8-222c-4c27-aecb-92c005a22749, abstract = {{<p>Purpose: Nutrition plays a key role in supporting the human immune system and reducing the risk of infections. However, there is limited evidence exploring the relationship between diet and the risk of COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the associations between consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and COVID-19 risk. Methods: In total, 41,012 participants from the UK Biobank study with at least 2 of up to 5 times 24-h dietary assessments were included in this study. Dietary intakes were collected using an online 24-h dietary recall questionnaire and food items were categorized according to their degree of processing by the NOVA classification. COVID-19 infection was defined as individuals tested COVID-19 positive or dead of COVID-19. Association between average UPF consumption (% daily gram intake) and COVID-19 infection was assessed by multivariable logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Compared to participants in the lowest quartile of UPF proportion (% daily gram intake) in the diet, participants in the 2nd, 3rd, and highest quartiles were associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 with the odds ratio (OR) value of 1.03 (95% CI: 0.94–1.13), 1.24 (95% CI: 1.13–1.36), and 1.22 (95% CI: 1.12–1.34), respectively (P for trend < 0.001), after adjusting for potential confounders. The results were robust in a series of sensitivity analyses. No interaction effect was identified between the UPF proportions and age groups, education level, body mass index, and comorbidity status. BMI mediated 13.2% of this association. Conclusion: Higher consumption of UPF was associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 infection. Further studies are needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms in such association.</p>}}, author = {{Zhou, Lihui and Li, Huiping and Zhang, Shunming and Yang, Hongxi and Ma, Yue and Wang, Yaogang}}, issn = {{1436-6207}}, keywords = {{COVID-19; Diet; Epidemiology; Nutrition; Ultra-processed food}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{1}}, pages = {{275--287}}, publisher = {{Springer}}, series = {{European Journal of Nutrition}}, title = {{Impact of ultra-processed food intake on the risk of COVID-19 : a prospective cohort study}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00394-022-02982-0}}, doi = {{10.1007/s00394-022-02982-0}}, volume = {{62}}, year = {{2023}}, }