Increased boiled potato consumption may reduce risk of cardiovascular mortality, States study

A recent study published in the The Journal of Nutrition examined the long-term health impacts of potato consumption and discovered that potatoes may play a significant role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. This revelation is poised to influence the dietary guidelines in regions where potatoes are a dietary staple.

The Norwegian study spanned over three decades and was set out to clarify the unclear relationship between potato consumption and long-term health outcomes. This research involved the participants from three Norwegian counties who were invited to health screenings between 1974 and 1988. The attendance rate was impressive with over 80% participation.

This study gathered dietary data through semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires which effectively enabled them to categorize participants based on their weekly potato consumption, which was; people eating six or fewer potatoes, people consuming seven to thirteen potatoes and people with an intake of fourteen or more potatoes per week. The daily cumulative mean intakes were calculated in grams per day to assess the impact on mortality risk. The team utilized multivariable Cox regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between potato consumption and deaths from all causes, CVD, ischemic heart disease (IHD) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

The study analyzed data from a total of 77,297 participants with a mean baseline age of 41.1 years. Over a median follow-up period of 33.5 years, there were close to 27,848 recorded deaths, including 9,072 due to CVD. The results revealed that the participants who consumed fourteen or more potatoes per week had a significantly reduced risk of all-cause death when compared to the participants who ate six or fewer potatoes weekly. Also, the hazard ratio for all-cause mortality in the highest consumption group was 0.88 (95% CI 0.84, 0.93) that indicated a 12% reduction in risk.

The increased potato consumption was associated with a modestly lower risk of death from CVD, IHD and AMI. Each additional 100 grams of potatoes consumed daily correlated with a 4% reduction in the risk of death from all causes (HR=0.96; 95% CI 0.94, 0.98), as well as from CVD (HR=0.96; 95% CI 0.93, 0.99), IHD (HR=0.96; 95% CI 0.91, 1.00) and AMI (HR=0.96; 95% CI 0.91, 1.01). Overall, this extensive study illuminates the potential health benefits of potatoes in diets dominated by boiled potatoes. The findings suggest that higher potato consumption is associated with a modest reduction in the risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular conditions.

Reference:

Arnesen, E. K., Laake, I., Carlsen, M. H., Veierød, M. B., & Retterstøl, K. (2024). Potato consumption and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality – a long-term follow-up of a Norwegian cohort. In The Journal of Nutrition. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.011