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In the News, Fall 2022: Ultra-Processed Foods May Raise Dementia Risk
According to a new study published in Neurology, higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may be linked to higher incidence of dementia, and substituting unprocessed or minimally processed foods for UPFs in the diet may lower dementia risk.
UPFs can be defined as “edible products formulated from food- derived substances, along with additives that heighten their appeal and durability.” They are typically high in refined sugars and starches, unhealthy fats, and sodium, and low in protein and fiber. Examples may include soft drinks, candy, instant soups, hot dogs, French fries, ice cream, and packaged cookies and breads.
The researchers identified 72,083 participants, age 55 and older, from the UK Biobank database who were free of dementia at study onset, and followed them for an average of 10 years. During that time, 518 of the participants developed dementia, as determined by hospital records or death registries.
Based on UPF consumption, as measured via food questionnaires, the participants were divided into four groups. Those in the lowest group consumed up to 9% of their daily diet as UPFs, while those in the highest group consumed 28%. After adjusting for confounding factors, the researchers found that for every 10% increase in UPF consumption, dementia risk rose 25%. Substitution analysis determined that replacing 10% of the UPFs in the diet with unprocessed or minimally processed foods was associated with an estimated 19% lower dementia risk.
Sources: Huiping Li, Shu Li, Hongxi Yang, et al. Association of ultraprocessed food consumption with risk of dementia: a prospective cohort. Neurology, July 27, 2022. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200871.
Ultra-processed foods: a global threat to public health. Global Food Research Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, May 2021. globalfoodresearchprogram.org.
Published in the Price-Pottenger Journal of Health & Healing
Fall 2022 | Volume 46, Number 3
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