Trouble could be on the horizon for one of America’s favorite side dishes. The American Society for Clinical Nutrition conducted experiments to test the nutritional value of potatoes. The objective of the experiment was to investigate whether consumption of potatoes, fried or unfried, correlates with premature mortality risk in North America. 

The experiment’s sample size consisted of 4,400 participants. After the 8-year follow up, statistics showed that 236 participants died. Studies found that participants with the highest rate of non-fried potato consumption did not show an increase in mortality. Fried potatoes were a different story, though.  Participants who consumed fried potatoes 2-3 times per week put themselves at increased risk for premature mortality. To find the association between the two factors, scientists used Cox Regression models to estimate the heart rates of the participants. Further studies with larger sample sizes are being developed to test the accuracy of the experiment’s results. 

As is the case for most scientific theory, results vary based on genetics, gender and lifestyle. It probably wouldn't hurt to choose an healthy side salad with that burger for the time being.