Endocrinology · Cardiology · 6 h ago
UPF-like dietary index linked to diabetes and cardiometabolic multimorbidity
In a prospective UK Biobank cohort of 188,405 participants, a study-specific index of ultra-processed food-like groups was associated with incident type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic multimorbidity over about 14 years. Associations were strongest for sweet-tasting beverages and smaller for savoury snacks; the findings are observational and do not establish causality.
- Overall UPF-like index associated with both outcomes after adjustment.
- Sweet-tasting beverages showed the strongest component-level associations.
- Associations were observational and do not establish causality.
Researchers analysed Oxford WebQ dietary data from 188,405 UK Biobank participants in a prospective cohort study. Their study-specific UPF-like index included processed meat, sweet and savoury snacks, sweet-tasting beverages, and ready or fried foods. Cox models assessed associations per 1-standard-deviation higher score with incident type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic multimorbidity, using sequential adjustment for demographic factors, nutrients, body mass index (BMI), and an NMR biomarker score. Median follow-up was 14.4 years for diabetes and 14.3 years for multimorbidity.
In models adjusted for nutrients and BMI, each standard-deviation increase in the overall index was associated with type 2 diabetes (hazard ratio [HR] 1.09, 95% CI 1.06–1.11) and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04–1.08). With additional NMR adjustment, the HRs were 1.07 and 1.05, respectively. Sweet-tasting beverages showed stronger component-level associations in nutrient- and BMI-adjusted models: HR 1.12 (95% CI 1.10–1.15) for diabetes and 1.08 (95% CI 1.07–1.10) for multimorbidity. Savoury snacks had smaller positive associations. A minimally processed plant-food minus UPF-like difference index was inversely associated with both outcomes.
These observational associations do not demonstrate that the foods caused the outcomes. The authors report that component groups differed in their associations, supporting reporting them alongside broad UPF indices; residual confounding and the cohort-based dietary assessment limit causal or individual-level conclusions.
In practice
In this UK Biobank cohort, higher scores on a study-specific UPF-like food index were associated with incident type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic multimorbidity, with the strongest component associations seen for sweet-tasting beverages. The study does not establish that these foods cause the outcomes or show that changing intake reduces risk. Its observational design, dietary measurement and UK cohort setting limit causal interpretation and generalisability; it does not by itself justify a specific clinical intervention.
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BMC Medicine: Ultra-processed food indices and component food groups in relation to incident type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic multimorbidity: a prospective cohort study ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.