Ultra-processed foods may affect the brain long before symptoms appear

Key Points:

• A new Canadian study found that adults aged 35 to 69 who consume the most ultra-processed foods are about 40% more likely to have small, unnoticed brain tissue damage compared to those who eat the least, despite showing no differences in memory or cognitive test scores.
• The study analyzed brain scans and diet records from 8,783 adults without heart disease, identifying damage in brain white matter and small silent strokes; this association persisted even after adjusting for factors like age, income, smoking, exercise, and existing health conditions.
• Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was linked to increased abdominal fat, particularly in people with obesity, but this fat only partially explained the brain damage, suggesting components of the food itself may contribute to brain health risks.
• The link between ultra-processed food intake and brain damage was notably stronger in women, who had nearly twice the odds of silent brain damage compared to women who ate the least, while no significant difference was found among men.
• Researchers emphasize that while the study shows a correlation, it cannot prove causation, and longer-term studies with repeated brain scans are needed to determine whether reducing ultra-processed food intake can prevent or slow brain damage over time.