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The war against ultra-processed foods has a new front: neurological infections. A study published in “Neurology” reports that people who eat more ultra-processed foods such as refreshments, chips and biscuits may have a greater risk of having memory and thinking problems and of suffering a stroke than those who eat less processed foods.
Now that’s fine, the study doesn’t prove that the arrival of ultra-processed foods causes memory and thinking problems or cerebrovascular accidents. Shows only one association.
Se consider comida procesada a los frozen and refreshing products in jars, sugared cereals and product lists for arrival or calendar which are some in multiple industrial processes and, on the menu, contains colorants, emulsifiers, flavoring agents and other additives. Additionally, these foods must be high in water, added fat and salt, but are low in vitamins and fiber.
Unfortunately, this type of diet can account for up to 58% of total daily energy consumption in some high-ingredient countries and has increased rapidly in many low- and medium-ingredient nations in recent decades.
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods include meats such as simple cuts of meat, chicken, vegetables and fruits.
“While a healthy diet is important for maintaining long-term brain health, the most important dietary options for the brain are not yet clear,” explains study author W. Taylor Kimberly, MD, of the Hospital General of Massachusetts in Boston. (EE.UU.).
And in this study, he comments, “we find that greater consumption of ultraprocessed foods was associated with a greater risk of cerebrovascular accident and cognitive impairment, and the association between ultraprocessed foods and cerebrovascular accident was greater among black participants.”
The study analyzed 30,239 people aged 45 or older who identified as black or white. The volunteers were followed up for an average of one year for information on their eating habits.
Researchers determine the amount of ultra-processed foods people ingest by calculating grams per day and comparing them to grams per day of other foods to create a percentage of their daily diet. This percentage is calculated across four groups, ranging from the least processed to the most processed foods.
Cognitive problems
Of the total participants, investigators screened 14,175 for cognitive impairment and 20,243 for cerebrovascular accident. Both groups have no history of cognitive impairment or cerebrovascular accident.
At the end of the study, 768 people were diagnosed with cognitive impairment and 1,108 people suffered from a brain disorder.
In the first group, the scientists observed that people who developed memory problems thought that 25.8% of their diet was based on ultra-processed foods, compared to 24.6% of those who did not develop cognitive problems.
After adjusting for age, gender, high blood pressure, and other factors that might influence dementia risk, we find that a 10% increase in the amount of ultraprocessed foods consumed is associated with a 16% greater risk of cognitive impairment. .
We also found that providing more foods without processing or that were minimally processed related to a 12% lower risk of cognitive impairment.
For those in the cerebrovascular accident group, those who suffered a stroke during the study, 25.4% of their diet was based on ultra-processed foods, compared to 25.1% of those who did not suffer an accident cerebrovascular.
After adjustments, investigators discovered that a mayor ingested ultra-processed foods was linked to an 8% increase in the risk of suffering a cerebrovascular accident, while a greater intake of unprocessed or minimally processed foods was correlated with a 9% decrease in the risk of suffering a cerebrovascular accident.
«Our hallazgos show that the degree of food processing plays an important role in the general health of the brain – says Kimberly -. However, further investigations are needed to confirm these findings and better understand why foods or process components contribute more to these effects.”
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