Blood Pressure Is Associated with Ultra-Processed Food Intake in a Sex- and Age-Specific Manner During the Transition to Adulthood in Cebu, Philippines

Scout Impact

This study examines the impact of ultra-processed food (UPF) intake on blood pressure among young adults in the Philippines. It demonstrates that UPF consumption is linked to increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure, with specific effects varying by sex and age. Scout penalizes ultra-processed foods due to their confirmed association with elevated blood pressure, reinforcing the need to limit these foods in adolescent diets.

Key Findings

• Finding 1: At age 21, ultra-processed meats and fish intake was associated with a 0.48 mmHg increase in diastolic blood pressure among males.
• Finding 2: Ultra-processed sugary beverages were linked to a 0.80 mmHg increase in systolic and a 0.93 mmHg increase in diastolic blood pressure among females at age 21.
• Finding 3: Among females, systolic blood pressure at age 18 was associated with a 0.25 mmHg increase per 5% increase in UPF intake at age 15.
• Finding 4: Mean UPF intake was 10-11% of total energy for males and 14-17% for females over the study period.
• Finding 5: The study used a cohort of 2124 participants, with 52% male, from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey.

Limitations

• Limitation 1: The study is observational and cannot establish causality.
• Limitation 2: The findings are specific to a Filipino cohort and may not be generalizable to other populations.