Guzzling fizzy drinks and eating too much chocolate and other confectionery increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to new research.
Corresponding author Dr. Carmen Piernas, an award-winning nutritionist at Oxford University, said:
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Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death and disability in the UK and poor diet is a major contributor to this.
The most common dietary guidelines are based on the nutrients found in foods rather than foods themselves and this can be confusing for the public.
Our findings help identify specific foods and beverages that are commonly eaten in Britain and that may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.
The results of the study, published in BMC Medicine, based on 116,806 adults who were recruited by the UK Biobank project between 2006 and 2010 from Scotland and Wales aged 37 to 73 and tracked for up to 15 years, found two specific types of diet were linked to death in middle-aged Britons.
The first was high in chocolate, confectionery, butter, and white bread and low in fresh fruit and vegetables.
Those who ate more chocolate, confectionery, butter, and white bread were likely to be male, younger, and from a poor background. They also tended to be smokers, less physically active, living with obesity or have high blood pressure.
The second was high in fizzy drinks, fruit juice, chocolate, confectionery, table sugar, and preserves – and low in butter and high-fat cheese.
Participants consuming fizzy drinks, fruit juice, and preserves had an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality – even though they tended to be physically active. They were also less likely to be smokers or living with obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.
Women, under 60s or those who were obese in particular had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, if they consumed a diet high in these foods.
The researchers then identified the nutrients and foods eaten. Incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality was calculated using hospital admission and death registry records until 2017 and 2020, respectively.
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Dr Piernas said:
Our research suggests eating less chocolate, confectionery, butter, low-fiber bread, sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice, table sugar, and preserves could be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease or death during middle age.
This is consistent with previous research which has suggested that eating foods that contain less sugar and fewer calories may be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
The findings of this study could be used to create food-based dietary advice that could help people eat more healthily and reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.
Future research could investigate the potential reasons for the associations between the two diets and cardiovascular disease and mortality, she said.