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The association between ultra-processed food consumption and health-related quality of life differs across lifestyle and socioeconomic strata
To investigate the connection between ultra-processed food consumption and HRQoL (Health-related Quality of Life), Hosseinpour-Niazi et al. (2024) conducted this prospective research, which evaluated the impact of lifestyle and socioeconomic factors on this relationship. 1,766 participants, 54.3% of whom were women between the ages of 18 and 78, were recruited from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. The authors utilized the Short-Form 12-Item Health Survey (SF-12, version 2) to assess HRQoL, generating scores for mental (MCS) and physical component summaries (PCS). Additionally, they employed a validated semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) to measure the intake of ultra-processed foods. Along with socioeconomic characteristics like education and work position, lifestyle factors, including physical activity and smoking status, were also evaluated. The median intake of ultra-processed foods comprised 11.9% of total energy consumption. After adjusting for confounding factors, a significant inverse relationship was found between ultra-processed food consumption and PCS but not with MCS. Interaction tests also indicated a probable role for smoking status, education, and physical activity levels. In contrast, significant interactions were identified between ultra-processed food intake, sex, and occupation concerning PCS scores. Specifically, higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was linked to a notable decline in PCS scores, observed in women, smokers, individuals with low physical activity, and those with lower educational levels. Non-employed individuals with a higher intake of ultra-processed foods showed decreased PCS and MCS scores. However, there were no significant differences in MCS scores among different lifestyle and socioeconomic groups across the tertiles of ultra-processed food consumption. Higher ultra-processed food intake was linked to worse physical health, especially for women, people leading hazardous lifestyles, and people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. [NPID: Ultra-processed foods, health-related quality of life, lifestyle factors, socioeconomic status]
Year: 2024
