A new study suggests that eating more ultra-processed foods—like chips, cookies, and soft drinks—may raise your risk of having memory problems and strokes.
The research was published on May 22, 2024, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Ultra-processed foods are high in added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.
They include items like soda, salty snacks, candy, ice cream, burgers, ketchup, packaged bread, and flavored cereals.
On the other hand, unprocessed or minimally processed foods include fresh fruits, vegetables, and plain meats like chicken, beef, and pork.
The study does not prove that these foods cause strokes or memory loss, but it shows a strong connection.
Dr. W. Taylor Kimberly, a researcher from Massachusetts General Hospital, said that eating too many processed foods was linked to higher risks of stroke and cognitive issues. The link between processed food and stroke was even stronger among Black participants.
The study involved over 30,000 adults aged 45 and older who identified as either Black or white. Researchers followed them for an average of 11 years. Everyone filled out a questionnaire about their daily diet, which helped the researchers calculate how much of their food came from ultra-processed sources.
Out of all participants, two groups were studied more closely: about 14,000 for memory and thinking problems, and about 20,000 for stroke risk. None of the people in these groups had memory issues or strokes at the start of the study.
By the end of the study, 768 people had developed memory and thinking problems, and 1,108 had experienced strokes.
People who developed cognitive issues ate an average of 25.8% of their daily food from ultra-processed sources, while those who didn’t develop problems ate about 24.6%.
That difference may seem small, but it added up. For every 10% increase in processed food in the diet, the risk of cognitive decline rose by 16%. Meanwhile, eating more unprocessed foods was linked to a 12% lower risk of memory problems.
For stroke, the difference was also small—25.4% vs. 25.1% in terms of daily intake—but still meaningful. A higher intake of ultra-processed food was linked to an 8% higher risk of stroke. Eating more natural, whole foods was linked to a 9% lower risk.
The link between processed foods and stroke was especially strong among Black participants. In this group, a higher intake of ultra-processed food was linked to a 15% increase in stroke risk.
Dr. Kimberly said the study shows how important it is to pay attention not just to what we eat, but how processed our food is. He added that more research is needed to understand exactly which ingredients or processes are the most harmful.
One limitation of the study was that it only included people who identified as Black or white. This means the results might not apply to people from other racial or ethnic backgrounds.
The study was supported by several major U.S. health organizations, including the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Dizziness upon standing may be linked to dementia risk and findings of Scientists find the ties between high blood pressure and dementia.
For more about dementia, please read studies about Early heart rhythm problem linked to higher dementia risk and findings of Green leafy vegetables may help reduce Alzheimer’s risk.
The study is published Neurology.
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