Potato consumption not linked to heart disease or hypertension

By Priyanjana Pramanik, MSc.Reviewed by Lily Ramsey, LLMJan 29 2025

New meta-analysis finds no significant association, but fried potatoes may raise hypertension risk.

Study: Potato Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in a Harmonized Analysis of Seven Prospective Cohorts. Image Credit: Emre Batarlar/Shutterstock.com

In a recent article in Nutrients, researchers explored whether eating potatoes raises the risk of hypertension and heart disease.

They found that while consuming potatoes did not appear to be linked to the chances of developing either illness, consuming fried potatoes more than once a week could increase hypertension.

Background

Heart disease is a leading cause of mortality in the United States, with hypertension affecting a large portion of the population. About 75% of Americans are expected to develop hypertension, which can lead to serious health issues like heart disease, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, increasing healthcare costs and lowering quality of life.

Identifying lifestyle factors that can reduce the risks of hypertension and heart disease. A healthy diet plays a key role in preventing these conditions, but fewer than 3% of Americans follow the American Heart Association’s ideal dietary guidelines.

Potatoes are a common food worldwide, with their consumption steadily increasing. Despite their high glycemic index, their high concentration of water gives them low energy density.

Research on the relationship between potato consumption and the risks of hypertension and heart disease is limited and inconsistent, and few studies have examined the effects of different preparation methods (fried, mashed, boiled, and baked).

Previous findings are mixed, with some studies showing no link between total intake of potatoes and coronary heart disease, while others, like the Million Veteran Program study, found a higher risk associated with consuming five or more cups of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes weekly.

Differences in results may be due to varying methods of analysis or inadequate consideration of preparation styles.

About the study

This study aimed to address these gaps by examining the association between total consumption of potatoes and the probability of developing hypertension and heart disease across seven large American cohorts.

Researchers also looked at how different preparation methods, such as fried, baked, mashed, or boiled potatoes, are linked to these conditions. Participants who already had these conditions or incomplete potato consumption data were excluded.

Potato consumption (fried, mashed, boiled, and baked) was measured using validated food questionnaires that recorded portion sizes and intake frequency over the past year.

Total intake was calculated in servings per week, and mashed, boiled, and baked potatoes were grouped. Potato chip data were excluded.

Baseline data on age, sex, race, body mass index, lifestyle, and diet were collected. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios, adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, and health factors like diabetes and hypertension. Results were meta-analyzed using statistical models.

Findings

The study analyzed data from 110,063 participants across seven cohorts for heart disease risk, with 67,146 participants included in hypertension analyses due to data limitations in two cohorts. Participants ranged in age from 25.1 to 72 years, with their average weekly potato consumption varying between 1.9 servings and 4.2 servings.

No significant association was found between total potato consumption and heart disease risk, even after adjusting for demographic, dietary, and lifestyle factors. Similarly, secondary analyses showed no link between the consumption of baked, boiled, fried, or mashed potatoes and heart disease risk.

Total potato consumption was not associated with hypertension risk. However, fried potato intake was linked to a higher risk of hypertension.

Participants consuming more than one serving of fried potatoes per week had a 10% higher risk of hypertension compared to those consuming none. In contrast, baked, boiled, and mashed potatoes showed no statistical relationship with hypertension.

These findings highlight that while the total consumption of potatoes may not impact hypertension and heart disease risk, fried potatoes may increase the risk of developing hypertension.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis of seven American cohorts found no significant link between potato consumption and the risk of hypertension and heart disease. Similarly, baked, boiled, and mashed potatoes were not associated with either condition. However, fried potato intake was linked to a modestly higher risk of hypertension but not heart disease.

Findings on potato consumption and heart disease are consistent with previous studies, including Swedish and American-based cohorts, which found no connection between total potato intake and heart disease, stroke, or myocardial infarction.

In contrast, data from the Million Veteran Program suggested a potential risk of coronary heart disease with high consumption of mashed, boiled, or baked potatoes, warranting further research.

For hypertension, no association was observed with total or non-fried potato consumption. However, fried potatoes, likely due to higher calorie content, salt, and links to unhealthy diets, were associated with an elevated risk of hypertension.

The study's strengths include a large, diverse sample and comprehensive adjustments for confounders, though an observational design, baseline-only dietary data, and lack of preparation-specific analyses limit the findings. However, results are specific to the United States and may not be generalizable to other regions.