Ultra-processed foods may contribute to dementia, study says

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We all eat them — ultra-processed foods such as Frozen pizza and ready-to-eat meals make our busy lives much easier. And who is less susceptible to hot dogs, sausages, burgers, French fries, sodas, cookies, cakes, candies, donuts and ice cream, just to name a few?

However, new research suggests that 20% or more of your daily caloric intake from ultra-processed foods may increase your risk of cognitive decline. found.

That amount equates to about 400 calories per day on a 2,000 calorie diet. For comparison, small order of french fries When regular cheeseburger Includes total from McDonald’s 530 calories.

The parts of the brain involved in executive function — our ability to process information and make decisions — have been particularly hard hit, according to a study published Monday in JAMA Neurology.

The men and women in the study who ate the most ultra-processed foods had a 25% faster rate of decline in executive function and a 28% faster rate of overall cognitive impairment. compared to those with the lowest intake of overly processed foods.

“While this is an association study and not designed to prove cause and effect, there are many factors that strengthen the proposition that accelerated cognitive decline can be attributed to ultra-processed foods. There are” Preventive Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine and Nutrition not involved in the study.

“The sample size is substantial and the follow-up extensive. Although the evidence is lacking, it is robust enough to conclude that ultra-processed foods are probably bad for the brain.”

There was an interesting twist, however. The association between ultra-processed foods and cognitive decline when the overall diet was high, i.e. high in unprocessed whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy protein sources. disappeared, says Katz.

“Ultra-processed foods lower the quality of your diet, so in most cases their concentration in the diet is an indicator of poor diet quality,” Katz said. However, it appears that some of the participants managed it, and higher dietary quality attenuated the observed association between ultra-processed foods and brain function.”

The study followed more than 10,000 Brazilians for up to 10 years. Just over half of the study participants were female, white or college graduates, and the average age he was 51 years old.

Cognitive tests, including immediate and delayed word recall, word recognition, and verbal fluency, were administered at the beginning and end of the study, and participants were asked about their diet.

“In Brazil, ultra-processed foods make up 25% to 30% of total calorie intake. We have McDonald’s, Burger King, and we eat a lot of chocolate and white bread. No,” said co-author Dr. Claudia Suemoto, assistant professor in the Department of Geriatrics, University of São Paulo School of Medicine. told CNN when a study abstract was published in August.

“58% of the calories consumed by US citizens, 56.8% of the calories consumed by British citizens and 48% of the calories consumed by Canadians come from ultra-processed foods,” says Suemoto.

According to research, ultra-processed foods are “food substances (oils, fats, sugars, starches, and proteins) that contain little or no whole foods and usually contain flavors, colors, emulsifiers, and other cosmetic additives isolated)”. .

The study found that those who ate the most ultra-processed foods were “younger, female, white, more educated and income, never smoked, and less likely to be current alcohol consumers. “I understood it. .

In addition to cognitive effects, ultra-processed foods are already known to increase risk. obesity, heart and circulation problems, Diabetes, cancer and short life.

“Ultra-processed foods are generally bad for all parts of us,” says Katz, president and founder of the nonprofit. Commitment to true healtha global coalition of professionals dedicated to evidence-based lifestyle medicine.

Ultra-processed foods are typically high in sugar, salt, and fat, all of which promotes. Inflammation throughout the body is “probably the greatest threat to healthy aging of the body and brain,” says Dr. Rudy Tanzi, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. and the director Department of Genetics and Aging Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. he was not involved in his research.

“On the one hand, they’re convenient as a quick meal, so they’re an alternative to eating foods high in plant fiber, which are important for maintaining the health and balance of the trillions of bacteria in your gut microbiome.” Tanzi added. It is important for brain health and reduces the risk of age-related brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. ”

What can I do to prevent this from happening to you? If you include ultra-processed foods in your diet, try to counteract these by also eating high-quality whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

“The conclusion suggested here is that while ultra-processed foods are certainly an important ‘ingredient’, the exposure that should be the focus of public health efforts is overall dietary quality.

Suemoto says one easy way to ensure food quality is to prepare food by cooking it from scratch.

“We say we don’t have time, but it doesn’t really take that long,” Suemoto said.

“It’s worth it because it can protect your heart and protect your brain from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. That’s the takeaway message: Stop buying anything ultra-processed.”