Boiled, Baked, Mashed or Fried – Potatoes Increase Hypertension Risk

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Lea Borgi, MD, MMSc

Renal Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital 

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Dr. Borgi:   The association of potatoes intake with the risk of developing hypertension has not been studied. In our analyses of more than 187,000 participants without a diagnosis of high blood pressure at baseline, we observed that higher intakes of boiled, baked or mashed potatoes and French fries were associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension.

Indeed, when participants consumed 4 or more than 4 servings per week of boiled, baked or mashed potatoes as compared to 1 or less than one serving per month, the risk of hypertension increased by 11% (and 17% when French fries were consumed 4 or more than 4 times a week as compared to 1 or less than 1 serving per month). We also found that replacing one serving of boiled, baked or mashed potatoes per day with one serving of a non-starchy vegetable was associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Dr. Borgi:   While potatoes are one of the most consumed foods in the world, there hasn’t been a lot of research about potatoes and health outcomes.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Borgi:   Additional research is required to understand the underlying mechanisms of potatoes intake with the increased risk of developing hypertension.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation:

  1. Lea Borgi, Eric B Rimm, Walter C Willett, John P Forman.Potato intake and incidence of hypertension: results from three prospective US cohort studies. BMJ, 2016; i2351 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.i2351

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Last Updated on May 18, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD