biostudies-literatureXue QNIDDK NIH HHSFIC NIH HHSNHLBI NIH HHSe010830https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10950530biostudies-literatureUnknown17(3)<h4>Background</h4>Food environments have been linked to cardiovascular diseases; however, few studies have assessed the relationship between food environments and the risk of heart failure (HF). We aimed to evaluate the association between ready-to-eat food environments and incident HF at an individual level in a large prospective cohort.<h4>Methods</h4>Exposure to ready-to-eat food environments, comprising pubs or bars, restaurants or cafeterias, and fast-food outlets, were individually measured as both proximity and density metrics. We also developed a composite ready-to-eat food environment density score by summing the densities of 3 types of food environments. Cox proportional analyses were applied to assess the associations of each single type and the composite food environments with HF risk.<h4>Results</h4>Closer proximity to and greater density of ready-to-eat food environments, particularly for pubs and bars and fast-food outlets (<i>P</i><0.05 for both proximity and density metric) were associated with an elevated risk of incident HF. Compared with those with no exposure to composite ready-to-eat food environments, participants in the highest density score category had a 16% (8%-25%; <i>P</i><0.0001) higher risk of HF. In addition, we found significant interactions of food environments with education, urbanicity, and density of physical activity facilities on HF risk (all <i>P</i>_interaction<0.05); the ready-to-eat food environments-associated risk of HF was stronger among participants who were poorly educated, living in urban areas, and without physical activity facilities.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Exposure to ready-to-eat food environments is associated with a higher risk of incident HF, suggesting the potential importance of minimizing unfavorable food environments in the prevention of HF.Circulation. Heart failureReady-to-Eat Food Environments and Risk of Incident Heart Failure: A Prospective Cohort Study.PMC10950530R21 TW010790R01 DK100383R01 DK091718R01 HL034594R01 HL071981R21 HL126024R01 DK115679Li XQi LXue QMa HHeianza YWang XfalseReady-to-Eat Food Environments and Risk of Incident Heart Failure: A Prospective Cohort Study.<h4>Background</h4>Food environments have been linked to cardiovascular diseases; however, few studies have assessed the relationship between food environments and the risk of heart failure (HF). We aimed to evaluate the association between ready-to-eat food environments and incident HF at an individual level in a large prospective cohort.<h4>Methods</h4>Exposure to ready-to-eat food environments, comprising pubs or bars, restaurants or cafeterias, and fast-food outlets, were individually measured as both proximity and density metrics. We also developed a composite ready-to-eat food environment density score by summing the densities of 3 types of food environments. Cox proportional analyses were applied to assess the associations of each single type and the composite food environments with HF risk.<h4>Results</h4>Closer proximity to and greater density of ready-to-eat food environments, particularly for pubs and bars and fast-food outlets (<i>P</i><0.05 for both proximity and density metric) were associated with an elevated risk of incident HF. Compared with those with no exposure to composite ready-to-eat food environments, participants in the highest density score category had a 16% (8%-25%; <i>P</i><0.0001) higher risk of HF. In addition, we found significant interactions of food environments with education, urbanicity, and density of physical activity facilities on HF risk (all <i>P</i>_interaction<0.05); the ready-to-eat food environments-associated risk of HF was stronger among participants who were poorly educated, living in urban areas, and without physical activity facilities.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Exposure to ready-to-eat food environments is associated with a higher risk of incident HF, suggesting the potential importance of minimizing unfavorable food environments in the prevention of HF.2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Mar2025-04-04T19:27:21.086Z2025-04-04T19:27:21.086ZS-EPMC109505303841099910.1161/circheartfailure.123.01083010.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.123.010830