Association of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) with hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTGW) phenotype, oxidative stress, and inflammation in Iranian adults: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the association between UPFs with HTGW in relation to oxidative stress and inflammation in Iranian adults, as no previous study had assessed these altogether. This cross-sectional study consisted of a sample of 528 Iranian adults (45.6% of them females). The dietary intake was estimated using a validated semi-quantitative 168-item food frequency questionnaire, and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) were obtained using the NOVA classification method. Anthropometric indices, including waist circumference and serum triglyceride concentration, were obtained to classify the hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTGW) phenotype. Additionally, biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation were measured. There was a significant association between ultra-processed food consumption and the HTGW phenotype in the crude (OR_{T3 vs. T1} = 1.82; 95% CI: 1.09–3.05) and fully-adjusted model (OR_{T3 vs. T1} = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.31–4.66); this association had a dose–response pattern. The association was particularly strengthened in women (OR_{T3 vs. T1} = 4.10; 95% CI: 1.40, 12.01) and participants with overweight/obesity (OR_{T3 vs. T1} = 2.40; 95% CI: 1.27, 4.54) (both based on the fully-adjusted model). Although there was no significant difference in oxidative stress and inflammation biomarker levels across tertiles of total UPFs, there was an association between sweets and lower SOD levels, based on the fully-adjusted model (B = −0.072 U; 95% CI: −0.123, −0.021). Our findings revealed that higher intake of UPFs is associated with a higher chance of the HTGW phenotype in a dose–response manner. Although there was no significant association between total UPFs with oxidative stress and inflammation, a number of UPF components were partially associated with oxidative stress.