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Impact of ultra-processed food intake on the risk of COVID-19 : a prospective cohort study

Zhou, Lihui ; Li, Huiping LU ; Zhang, Shunming LU ; Yang, Hongxi ; Ma, Yue and Wang, Yaogang (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.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
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
2024-06-13 19:57:26
@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 &lt; 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}},
}