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" A study published this week in the BMJ has found, for the first time, that eating potatoes is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure. These findings have been widely reported in the media over the last couple of days. But before we banish bangers and mash from our dinner times, let&amp;#039;s take a closer look at this study and work out whether we have reason to be concerned.  The researchers from Harvard Medical School analysed data from more than 187,000 men and women from three large US studies over a 20-year period.   It looked at people\u00A0who ate four or more servings of mashed, baked or boiled potatoes, crisps\u00A0or French fries per week, with those who ate less than one serving per week.  The researchers controlled for numerous factors, including weight, smoking status, level of physical activity, and current dietary habits.  The main findings of the study were as follows: 1.\u00A0Women could be at greater risk  Eating four or more servings of mashed, baked, or boiled potatoes per week was linked to a\u00A011% increased risk of high blood pressure in women, when compared with less than one serving per week. This effect was not observed in men. 2.\u00A0French fries could be the worst offenders Higher consumption of French fries was associated with a 17% increased risk of high blood pressure in both men and women.   3.\u00A0Crisps were deemed innocent\u00A0 Higher consumption of potato chips (crisps) did not display an increased risk for high blood pressure. In fact, strangely,\u00A0the men who ate more crisps showed a reduced high blood pressure risk. 4.\u00A0Making\u00A0room for other veggies is a good shout Replacing one serving of potatoes per week with a portion of non-starchy vegetables was associated with a 7% drop in blood pressure.  But there&amp;#039;s no proof potatoes cause high blood pressure This study is what is known as an observational study. These examine the association between what is known, in scientific jargon, as an exposure (in this case, potatoes) and an outcome (in this case, high blood pressure). Because of all the other exposures that occur simultaneously in our lives, which can never be completely accounted for, this type of study cannot provide evidence of cause and effect. Rather, it can only provide evidence of a relationship between exposure and outcome (potatoes and high blood pressure.\u00A0 In other words, this research doesn&amp;#039;t prove that eating more potatoes increases blood pressure; it has just shown an association between these two factors.  Remembering everything you&amp;#039;ve eaten is tricky There were several limitations of this study design that were acknowledged by the researchers: \u2022 The diagnosis of high blood pressure was based on information provided by the participants, rather than measurements taken during the study, so could have been open to error.  \u2022 The amount of potatoes the participants ate was self-reported. In one study, this was via a food questionnaire every 4 years, and recalling diet over that amount of time is open to inaccuracies. Also, people aren&amp;#039;t always honest when reporting their food intake.   How you cook your potatoes can reduce health risks The findings could have been affected by other dietary factors e.g. potatoes are often eaten with a lot of fat (butter or margarine) and salt, which could explain the association of boiled, baked and mashed potatoes with high blood pressure. Going easy on the\u00A0salt and butter\u00A0when preparing your spuds will make you meal instantly healthier.\u00A0 The finding that replacing a daily portion of potatoes with non-starchy vegetables was associated with a 7% drop in blood pressure could have been due to the health benefits of vegetables, rather than the potatoes.   It&amp;#039;s better to look at your diet as a whole The study was accompanied by an editorial in the BMJ, written by Professor M. F. Harris and R. A. Laws, from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, titled &amp;quot;Dietary patterns matter more than isolated food items, and that&amp;#039;s what we should be studying.&amp;quot;  Here, the authors say that although diet has an important part to play in the prevention and management of high blood pressure, eating behaviour and food consumption are complex and difficult to measure. Instead they conclude that emphasis should be put on the importance of studying the whole diet, rather than just specific foods.  More potato research is needed No definitive conclusions on the link between potato consumption and high blood pressure can be made from a single observational study.\u00A0Eating\u00A0potatoes in moderation, as part of a balanced diet,\u00A0shouldn&amp;#039;t be cause for concern. Sensationalist headlines in the press such as &amp;quot;Potato lovers have a higher risk of blood pressure&amp;quot; are a misinterpretation of the research, and can be misleading to the public. Whilst the findings of this recent study shouldn&amp;#039;t be dismissed, further research is needed.\u00A0  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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