Potato consumption is not associated with elevated cardiometabolic risk in adolescent girls.

We examined the association between potato consumption in two different age periods during adolescence and risk of obesity and cardiometabolic dysfunction in White and Black girls. We used data from the biracial prospective National Growth and Health Study. Average potato consumption was derived from multiple 3-day food records in two age periods, 9-11 and 9-17 years, and included white and sweet potatoes from all sources. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios for becoming overweight, developing prehypertension, elevated triglyceride (TG) levels, or impaired fasting glucose (IFG) at 18-20 years of age according to category of daily potato intake. We also stratified by cooking method (fried/non-fried) and race. Analysis of covariance was also used to estimate adjusted mean levels of BMI, SBP, DBP, log-transformed TGs, the TG to high-density lipoprotein (TG:HDL) ratio, and fasting glucose levels associated with potato intake category. Higher potato consumption was associated with higher fruit and non-starchy vegetable intakes and higher HEI scores in Black girls. There were no statistically significant associations overall between moderate or higher (vs. lower) intakes of potatoes and risks of overweight, prehypertension, elevated fasting triglycerides, high TG:HDL ratio or IFG. Also, no adverse associations were found between fried or non-fried potato intake and cardiometabolic outcomes. Potato consumption has been the subject of much controversy in recent years. This study adds evidence that potato consumption among healthy girls during the critical period of adolescence was not associated with cardiometabolic risk.