Ultra-Processed Fast Food & Dementia Were Linked In A New Study & Here's What You Should Know
Healthy habits can make a big difference!
Group of friends eating burgers and drinking beer. Right: A man eating a slice of pizza.
We all indulge in fast food from time to time because it's both tasty and convenient, but a new study stresses that you should limit how often you eat these ultra-processed foods, as it can take a toll on your brain health.
A study published in JAMA Neurology on December 5 suggests that if ultra-processed foods account for more than 20% of your calorie intake, it could raise your risk of developing dementia.
For a person who eats about 2,000 calories a day, 20% is 400 calories, which isn't much.
To put that into perspective, a small fries and regular hamburger at McDonald's contains 480 calories together and a regular medium cheese-only pizza at Domino's contains a total of 710 calories.
The Alzheimer's Association director of scientific engagement, Percy Griffin, tells Narcity a lot of people are consuming ultra-processed foods these days, and it could be due to certain socioeconomic factors like low access to healthy foods and less time to prepare meals.
Although not associated with the study, Griffin says that "[u]ltra-processed foods make up more than half of American diets. It's troubling but not surprising to see new data suggesting these foods can significantly accelerate cognitive decline."
JAMA Neurology looked at 10,000 Brazilians for up to 10 years, with just over half of them women. The average age of participants was 51.
Devon Peart, a registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic Canada in Toronto, says she also isn't surprised by the findings of the study, except for one part.
"This study showed that the marked decline was in people younger than 60 so it shows that there's an opportunity for prevention [...] which is really good to know."
Here's what else you should know.
What is dementia?
According to Mayo Clinic, dementia is a group of symptoms that affect a person's memory, thinking skills and social abilities in such a way that it interferes with their daily life.
The clinic notes that dementia isn't a specific disease, but several diseases can cause dementia.
What are the signs of dementia?
Cognitive signs include memory loss, difficulty finding words, trouble with motor functions and confusion or disorientation.
There are psychological signs as well, including depression, hallucination and personality changes.
What foods are considered ultra-processed?
According to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, Canadians consume 50% of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods.
This is food that has been drastically changed from its original state with "salt, sugar, fat, additives, preservatives and/or artificial colours."
They're also modified in such a way that makes you want to keep eating them.
Soft drinks, chocolate, candy, chips, ice cream, cereal, chicken nuggets, french fries and hotdogs are all examples of ultra-processed food.
So how can you tell if food is ultra-processed?
Registered dietitian Devon Peart says if you have to ask how your food was made or you look at the ingredient list and it includes things you wouldn't have in your kitchen, that usually means it's ultra-processed.
"The thing about ultra-processed foods is they're made commercially or industrially; you can't make it," Peart explains.
"They have some ingredients that are gleaned from whole food, but they don't have any actual whole food in them. So they really bear little resemblance to actual food."
Can food affect a person's cognitive function?
Peart says experts are still trying to figure that out.
However, she notes that research has shown people who eat more ultra-processed foods have less grey matter in their brain, which is the area where processing information happens.
Ultra-processed food can also lead to an increase in inflammation in the body, which again is associated with greater cognitive decline.
Based on growing evidence, Griffin with the Alzheimer's Association says we can conclude that "what we eat can impact our brains as we age."
"Many studies suggest it is best for our brain to eat a heart-healthy, balanced diet low in processed foods, and high in whole, nutritional foods like vegetables and fruits," Griffin tells Narcity.
Why is a good quality diet so important?
In an interview with CNN, Dr. David Katz pointed out an "interesting twist" in the study, which showed that participants who ate an overall good quality diet were not as negatively impacted by ultra-processed food.
"If the quality of the overall diet was high — meaning the person also ate a lot of unprocessed, whole fruits and veggies, whole grains and healthy sources of protein — the association between ultra-processed foods and cognitive decline disappeared," said Katz, who is a specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine and nutrition. He was not involved in the study.
Can dementia be prevented?
According to the Alzheimer Society, there is no proven way to prevent dementia.
However, a person can reduce their risk by leading a healthy lifestyle through a balanced diet, regular exercise and staying connected with loved ones.
Griffin says good sleep, not smoking and managing a healthy heart are also good ways to prevent the disease.
"Research suggests that these lifestyle changes in combination may have the greatest benefit and are good to consider at any age," Griffin added.
"Even if you begin with one or two healthful actions, you’re moving in the right direction. It’s never too early or too late to incorporate these habits into your life."
Why should you start incorporating healthy habits at a young age?
Peart says less is better when it comes to ultra-processed food.
While many of us rely on ordering in and grabbing what's convenient, making sure to also include whole food throughout your day is key. Those foods include fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
For anyone who thinks they're too young to start thinking about what they eat because they assume dementia only affects older people, Peart explains that incorporating healthy habits at a young age will only help you in the long run.
"Once you get into like full-time employment generally, our activity level really takes a nosedive. We're sitting more, we're more sedentary and so I think it becomes really important to get those good whole foods."
"My recommendations would be to limit ultra-processed foods as much as possible, and to include nutrient rich foods in your regular diet."
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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