(ACJN/CNN) - People who eat a lot of fried potatoes could be increasing their risk of an early death, compared to those who avoid them, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
For eight years, researchers tracked nearly 4,500 people between the ages of 45 and 79 as part of a study on osteoarthritis.
They chose to look at potato consumption, and divided participants into subgroups based on how often they ate potatoes and how those potatoes were cooked.
Researchers counted anything prepared in a fryer - French fries, potato chips and hash browns included.
The data showed that people who ate fried potatoes two or more times a week were linked with a doubled risk of dying early compared to those who ate no fried potatoes.
The study's co-authors pointed out that it was an observational study and more research is needed to draw firm conclusions.
He also said the oil used to fry potatoes could be a factor. Further, the fries' high salt content might be a culprit, as well as the possibly sedentary lifestyle of those eating them.
In addition, there was no increased mortality risk associated with eating potatoes that weren't fried.
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