Introduction

Fried foods are widely consumed in the United States and worldwide. Frying is a complex cooking process that modifies the composition of foods and the frying medium through oxidation, polymerization, and hydrogenation.1 During frying, foods can lose water and absorb fat, and the frying oils deteriorate, especially when reused.1 Moreover, frying makes food crunchy and more appetizing, which can lead to excess intake.2

Several cohort studies in US populations showed that higher consumption of fried foods was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes3 and cardiovascular diseases,34 which are among the leading causes of death. However, a study in a Mediterranean population found no association between fried food consumption and coronary heart disease.1 Little is known about the relation between fried food consumption and mortality.15 It is important to understand the associations between fried foods and health outcomes because 25-36% of North American adults consume foods, usually fried, from fast food restaurants every day.367 Thus, we used data from a large, prospective cohort to examine the association of total and specific fried food consumption with all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in US women.

Conclusions and public health implications

We have identified a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality that is readily modifiable by lifestyle and cooking choices. Reducing the consumption of fried foods, especially fried chicken and fried fish/shellfish, could have a clinically meaningful effect across the public health spectrum. In conclusion, in this large prospective cohort study, we observed that fried food consumption, especially fried chicken and fried fish/shellfish, was associated with a higher risk of all cause and cardiovascular mortality among postmenopausal women in the US. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.