Eating chips could double the risk of early death, so that's great

Eating fried potatoes is linked to a higher risk of death, new research has revealed.

Yep, that includes chips, crisps and hash browns. *cries*

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate fried potatoes two or more times a week were twice as likely to die early, compared to those who avoid eating them.

But before you go hating on potatoes in general – the researchers also discovered that non-fried potatoes (i.e. boiled or baked) were not linked to a similar early mortality risk.

As the study was observational – meaning the researchers tracked people over the course of their lives, rather than in controlled laboratory conditions – they can’t say for sure that eating fried potatoes was the cause of early death; simply that there seems to be a link between the two.

The researchers said that they would need to look at more lifestyle factors in future to determine the cause of the link, but have speculated it has something to do with trans-fat.

“Even if it is an observational study, we believe that the cooking oil, rich in trans-fat, is an important factor in explaining mortality in those eating more potatoes,” said Dr. Nicola Veronese, lead author of the study and a scientist at the National Research Council in Padova, Italy.

Those eating more fried potatoes could not only be eating more trans-fat (proven to raise heart disease-causing cholesterol), but could also have higher rates of obesity, more sedentary lifestyles, and a higher intake of salt.

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