Research Shows Ultra-Processed Foods Like Snacks and Ice Cream Negatively Affect Brain Health
Enjoyable to Eat but Harmful to the Body
A study has attracted attention by revealing that even a small amount of ultra-processed food consumption can impair brain function in people aged 45 and older. Ultra-processed foods refer to snacks, convenience foods (instant foods), ice cream, and the like.
A joint research team from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the United States conducted a 20-year follow-up study on over 30,000 middle-aged and older adults aged 45 and above to observe the impact of diet on brain diseases. The study results were published on the 22nd (local time) in the international academic journal Neurology.
Ultra-processed foods refer to mass-produced snacks, ice cream, and convenience meals. [Image source=Pixabay]
In particular, the research team focused on the effects of 'ultra-processed foods' on the brain. The investigation found that the group consuming the most ultra-processed foods had an 8% higher risk of stroke and a 16% higher risk of cognitive decline compared to the group consuming the least.
Even increasing the proportion of ultra-processed food intake by just 10% raised the risk of cognitive decline. Conversely, consuming unprocessed or minimally processed foods reduced the risk of stroke by 9% and cognitive decline by 12%.
Taylor Kimberly, a professor of neurology at Harvard University who led the study, emphasized, "Cognitive decline can lead to dementia, so caution is necessary," adding, "This shows that a healthy diet can improve brain health in middle-aged and older adults."
Ultra-processed foods refer to foods that have undergone extensive processing, such as convenience foods and snacks. These foods are generally very high in calories and contain large amounts of sugar, fat, and sodium. In contrast, they lack beneficial components for the body such as protein and dietary fiber.
Excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods has been known to cause not only brain diseases but also cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Earlier, in February, Australian researchers published a study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) revealing that ultra-processed foods have direct and indirect correlations with as many as 32 health parameters.
The study showed that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with a 50% increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, a 48-53% increased risk of anxiety and mental disorders, and a 12% increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, higher consumption of processed foods was linked to a 21% higher risk of death from any cause.
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