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Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of ultra-processed food (UPF) intake with the incidence of glaucoma in a large sample of Spanish university graduates followed prospectively. Methods: Prospective cohort study using data from the SUN Project. A final sample of 19,225 participants (60.1% women) was included in this study, with a mean age of 38.2 years (standard deviation (SD) = 12.4). Participants were followed-up for a mean time of 12.9 years (SD = 5.4). Dietary intake was measured using a 136-item semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. UPFs were defined based on the NOVA classification system. Glaucoma diagnosis was determined by asking the participants if they had ever been diagnosed with glaucoma by an ophthalmologist. This self-reported diagnosis of glaucoma has been previously validated. Results: After adjusting for several covariates, participants with the highest UPF consumption were at higher risk of glaucoma (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06 to 3.17) when compared to participants in the lowest category of UPF consumption. Regarding subgroup analyses, a significant multiplicative interaction was found for age (p = 0.004) and omega 3:6 ratio (p = 0.040). However, an association between UPF consumption and glaucoma was only found in older participants (aged ≥ 55 years), in men, in the most physically active group, in the group of non- or former smokers, in those with a lower omega 3:6 ratio, and in those with a lower energy intake. Regarding the contribution of each type of UPF group, UPF coming from sweets showed a significant risky effect (HR = 1.51; CI 95% 1.07 to 2.12). Conclusions: This prospective cohort study shows that participants with a greater UPF consumption have a higher risk of developing glaucoma when compared to participants with a lower consumption. Our findings emphasize the relevance of monitoring and limiting the consumption of UPFs as a means of preventing glaucoma incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Planetary Health Diet index (PHDI) prioritizes the well-being of both individuals and the planet but has yielded mixed results on cardiovascular disease (CVD). Our aim was to assess the association between the PHDI and risk of CVD., Methods: A cohort of 118,469 individuals aged 40-69 years from the UK Biobank, who were free of CVD at 2009-2012 and followed-up to 2021. The PHDI was calculated using at least two 24-h dietary assessments and included 14 food groups, with a possible range from 0 to130 points. CVD incidence was defined as primary myocardial infarction or stroke and obtained from clinical records and death registries., Results: During a 9.4-year follow-up, 5,257 incident cases of CVD were ascertained. When comparing the highest (89.9-128.5 points) versus the lowest quartile (21.1-71.1 points) of PHDI adherence, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) was 0.86 (0.79, 0.94) for CVD, 0.88 (0.80, 0.97) for myocardial infarction, and 0.82 (0.70, 0.97) for stroke. The association was linear until a plateau effect was reached at 80 points of adherence to PHDI. Results remained robust when excluding participants with type 2 diabetes, including only those with three or more diet assessments, or excluding CVD cases in the first three years of follow-up. The food group components of the PHDI more strongly associated with reduced CVD risk were higher consumption of whole grains, whole fruits, fish and lower consumption of added sugars and fruit juices., Conclusion: In this large cohort of middle-aged and older British adults, adherence to the PHDI was associated with lower risk of CVD. These results provide empirical evidence that this dietary pattern, thought to be environmentally sustainable, benefits cardiovascular health., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)