Association between frequency of spicy food consumption and hypertension: a cross-sectional study in Zhejiang Province, China

Abstract

Background Hypertension is a known risk factor for multiple chronic diseases. Existing literature on the association between frequency of spicy food consumption and hypertension shows mixed findings. Methods The analyses are based on the Tongxiang baseline dataset of the China Kadoorie Biobank prospective study, including data from electronic questionnaires, physical measurements and blood sample collection. A total of 53,916 participants aged 30–79 years were included in the final analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association of spicy food consumption with hypertension, and multiple linear regression was performed to explore the association of spicy food consumption with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Results Of the 53,916 participants, 23,921 had prevalent hypertension. 12.3% of participants reported consuming spicy food weekly. Among female participants, after adjusting for socio-demographic status, lifestyle factors, BMI, waist circumference, sleep duration and snoring, when compared with females who never consumed spicy food, the odds ratios (95% CI) for hypertension were 1.02 (0.96–1.08), 0.90 (0.79–1.01), and 0.88 (0.78–0.99), respectively, for females who consumed spicy food less than once weekly, 1–2 times weekly, and ≥ 3 times weekly (Ptrend = 0.04). The corresponding odds ratios for males were 1.02 (0.95–1.09), 1.07 (0.95–1.20), and 0.91 (0.81–1.01), respectively (Ptrend = 0.39). Among current alcohol drinkers, compared to participants who never consumed spicy food, the odds ratio (95% CI) for hypertension among participants consuming spicy food daily was 0.98 (0.80–1.20). The corresponding figure for non-current drinkers was 0.72 (0.62–0.84). The association was stronger among non-current alcohol drinkers than among current drinkers (Pheterogeneity = 0.02). Conclusions Frequency of spicy food consumption is inversely associated with hypertension in females, but not in males.

Association between spicy foods consumption and cardiovascular disease risk factors: Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study

“…Furthermore, we found that spicy foods consumption was also associated with higher blood pressure, especially DBP, which was inconsistent with the existing studies, in which spicy foods consumption was significantly associated with low blood pressure in women. One possible reason for this discrepancy is some of the studies with relatively small sample size did not control for total energy intake [32,33].…”

The Association Between Spicy Food Intake and Risk of Hyperuricemia Among Chinese Adults

“…The increase in blood lipid levels, especially triglyceride, will induce more free fatty acids, accelerate the decomposition of adenosine triphosphate, and increase the production of uric acid ( 50 ). Furthermore, many studies have shown that consumers of spicy food with higher frequency or more robust pungency degrees were more likely to be drinkers ( 24 , 37 , 46 , 51 ). Previous studies have found that alcohol drinking can promote uric acid synthesis and then block the excretion of uric acid, eventually leading to hyperuricemia ( 44 , 52 ).…”

Preference for Stronger Taste Associated with a Higher Risk of Hypertension: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study in Northwest China

“…A cross-sectional study using data from CHNS, including 9,273 participants, found that the frequency of spicy food consumption was inversely associated with the risk of hypertension in females but not in male adults [ 31 ]. Another cross-sectional study in Zhejiang Province, China, also found a significant negative relationship between the frequency of spicy food consumption and hypertension in females [ 32 ]. In our study, quantile-related patterns of taste preferences and BP were associated with DBP in nearly all percentiles among females.…”