Ultra-processed foods, which are made mostly from substances extracted from foods, like fats, starches, added sugars, and hydrogenated fats, often contain additives like artificial colors and flavors or stabilizers.
These types of foods, including frozen meals, soft drinks, hot dogs and cold cuts, fast food, packaged cookies, cakes, and salty snacks, have been linked in several studies to a higher risk of inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, obesity, and premature death.
A recent study has found that these ready-to-eat foods can also cause a greater risk of cognitive decline.
The Study
The study examined 10,775 participants in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health.
It found that if 20% of the 2,000 calories recommended daily are from ultra-processed foods, people will have a risk of faster cognitive decline.
According to recent data, ultra-processed foods are the main source (nearly 58%) of calories eaten in the US and contribute almost 90% of the energy we get from added sugars.
In this study, compared to people who ate the least amount of ultra-processed foods, those who consumed the most experienced a 28% faster rate of general cognitive decline and a 25% faster rate of executive function decline.
While this study is of association, and not designed to prove cause and effect, the researchers pointed out that there are many elements that support the idea that some acceleration in cognitive decay may be attributed to ultra-processed foods.
Implications
This study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that ultra-processed foods can have a harmful effect on health, including cognitive function.
The findings underscore the importance of dietary habits for cognitive health, and may inform future guidelines and interventions to prevent cognitive decline and improve public health.
The long-term effects of consuming ultra-processed foods should be further explored in future studies.
The study was conducted by Dr. David Katz and his team, and it was published in the journal JAMA Neurology.
As research continues in this field, it will be critical to understand more about the potential effects of diet on cognitive health, and how best to guide the public in making healthful food choices.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and Omega-3 fats and carotenoid supplements could improve memory.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce dementia risk, and higher magnesium intake could help benefit brain health.
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