AHA Scientific Sessions 2026 AbstractNov 9, 2026, 01:39 GMT

Inflammation may link ultra-processed foods to heart disease

A statistical model attributed 35.7% of the link between ultra-processed food intake and cardiovascular disease to inflammation markers and a weight measure.

Paper by Abdullaah Idris-Agbabiaka, Shengzhou Wen, Fawaz Naeem, +4George Marzouka · Internal Medicine · Bruce W. Carter Miami VA Med Cntr

Fat-rich tissue beside chips and a cookie has more inflammation markers among blood cells than nearby tissue with more muscle fibers.

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Mechanisms

Studied:: Cohort study of 6,237 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
What changed:: Inflammation markers and body mass index accounted for 35.7% of the link between ultra-processed foods and heart disease in a model
The catch:: Diet and inflammation were measured together; inflammation could influence food choices
In the record:: The 144th paper on ultra-processed foods with results in people; 209 on record in all.

Editor of record: Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News

Paper

The 6,237 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis reported their diets by questionnaire in a prospective observational study. Researchers examined associations with blood markers of inflammation, later body composition measurements and cardiovascular disease.

Higher ultra-processed food intake was associated with higher inflammation markers, more body fat and less lean mass. A statistical model attributed 35.7% of the food–disease association to two inflammation markers and body mass index, a measure of weight relative to height. Interleukin-6, one of those inflammation markers, accounted for 23.8% of the association in the model. Among 3,034 participants with paired heart scans, intake did not significantly predict progression of calcium deposits in coronary arteries.

Why it matters

Cardiovascular disease is a concern as people age. The authors proposed inflammation and body composition as targets for efforts to reduce cardiovascular risk associated with ultra-processed foods.

Caveats

Diet and inflammation were measured at the same initial visit, so inflammation may also have influenced food choices. Reported in a conference abstract, the analysis did not test whether changing the proposed pathways reduced cardiovascular risk.