A recent study revealed a link between diets rich in takeout and ready-made foods and elevated underlying inflammation that causes cardiovascular diseases.
The study found that individuals who consume large quantities of ready-made food are more likely to have elevated risk factors for heart disease.
The international research team measured systemic inflammation levels using a dietary inflammatory index to determine the inflammation risk associated with consuming specific food items.
They then analyzed cross-sectional data over a 10-year period involving 8,556 participants from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2009 and 2019.
Alongside the relationship between high consumption of ready-made food and a higher inflammation index, the researchers found that frequent intake of such foods is associated with an unfavorable cardiac profile characterized by lower good cholesterol, and higher levels of triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, insulin, and insulin resistance.
The researchers noted that high consumption of ready-made food is linked to higher rates of certain conditions, but the study does not prove a direct causal link.
How does ready-made food affect health?
Ready-made foods contain ingredients harmful to the heart.
Ready-made food increases the risk of heart disease not due to a single component, but because of a recurring combination of nutrients, additives, and preparation methods that negatively affect blood pressure, blood lipids, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and vascular endothelial function.
Restaurants use excessive amounts of sodium and unhealthy fats, in addition to ultra-processed ingredients, sweeteners, preservatives, and flavor enhancers.
The increased reliance on ready-made food is attributed to technological development, with the accelerating pace of life and simplification of activities leading to a reduction in the number of home-cooked meals.
This contributes to building a generation with higher body weight compared to previous generations, while also promoting chronic inflammation, high cholesterol, and other key factors that cause heart disease.
Frequent reliance on ready-made food often reflects broader pressures such as busy work schedules, limited cooking resources, irregular meals, and sleep disturbances, all of which increase the risk of heart disease.
