Dementia risk linked to eating 1 type of food, research shows
The Mirror • • health
Key Points:
- Emerging research links diets high in ultra-processed foods—loaded with added sugars, artificial additives, and unhealthy fats—to increased risks of cognitive decline, memory loss, and dementia.
- A 2022 Chinese study found that regular consumption of ultra-processed foods significantly raised the risk of dementia, with a 10% reduction in these foods potentially lowering dementia risk by 19%.
- Experts suggest that poor nutrient content, excessive sugar and sodium, and related health issues like high blood pressure and inflammation may explain the negative brain health impacts of ultra-processed foods.
- A Harvard-led study involving over 31,000 women revealed that diets rich in ultra-processed foods also correlate with a higher risk of depression, with reductions in these foods linked to decreased depression rates.
- Factors such as higher BMI, smoking, lower exercise levels, diabetes, and hypertension were more common among high consumers of ultra-processed foods, and artificial sweeteners may play a role in altering brain chemistry related to depression.
