Study: Chips may make you dumber

0

Two new large-scale studies have shown that consuming ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may exacerbate age-related cognitive decline and increase the risk of dementia.

Ultra-processed foods, such as sodas, chips, frozen meals, and fast food, tend to be low in nutrients and fiber but high in sugar, fat, and salt compared to unprocessed or minimally processed foods, writes PsyPost.

The first study involved more than 10,000 people who living in Brazil. Those who ate more UHT at the start of the study had slightly more cognitive decline than those who ate less or none at all. The difference was relatively small, so it is not yet clear how much UHT in the diet might affect a person's body.

The second study looked at the link between consumption of ultra-processed foods and dementia in 72,000 people in the UK. In the group that ate relatively many ultra-processed foods, about 1 in 120 people were diagnosed with dementia over 10 years. In the group that ate almost no UHT, about 1 in 170 were diagnosed.