Association Between Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: MESA (Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis)
Main finding · ASCVD events, per additional daily serving of UPFResult — go to the resultHazard ratio 1.051 95% CI 1.011–1.093Authors' conclusion
In a large, multiethnic cohort, higher UPF consumption was significantly associated with an increased risk for ASCVD events, with a more pronounced association among Black Americans.
Study context
- Population
- U.S. adults aged 45 to 84 years, without clinically apparent cardiovascular disease (CVD) (MESA)
- Participants
- 6,814 adults
- Exposure
- UPF intake and incident CVD events
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
ASCVD events, per additional daily serving of UPF
Hazard ratio
1.051
95% CI 1.011–1.093
Each additional daily serving of UPF
HR 1.051 (95% CI 1.011–1.093)
Each additional daily serving of UPF, as printed
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | HR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| ASCVD events, highest vs lowest quintile of UPF consumption · 66.8% higher risk | 1.668 (1.196–2.325) | |
| ASCVD events per UPF serving, stratified by Black race — Black Americans | 1.061 (1.016–1.108) | |
| ASCVD events per UPF serving, stratified by Black race — non-Black Americans | 1.032 (1.001–1.065) | |
| 0.512Hazard ratio (log scale) |
- ASCVD events per UPF serving, stratified by Black race: multiplicative interaction between UPF intake and Black race P = 0.010
Original publication
Association Between Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: MESA (Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). JACC Adv. Published 17 March 2026. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it