Older Adults Who Eat More Ultra processed Foods Face Faster Cognitive Decline, Study Finds

• A study of Brazilian public servants published in JAMA Neurology found an association between high ultraprocessed food consumption and the pace of age-related cognitive decline.
• Compared to participants with the lowest ultraprocessed food intake (below 20% of calories), those with higher intake showed a 28% faster rate of global cognitive decline.
• They also experienced a 25% faster rate of decline in executive function.

As people reach advanced age, their bodies start to change. Their muscle mass becomes smaller, metabolism slows, and bone density decreases. Many develop problems with their eyes and vision, and experience hearing loss. Their roles in society change. Many retire, changing their daily routines, social interaction patterns, and personal identity. They also experience psychological changes. Aging brings increased wisdom, emotional resilience, and a deeper sense of gratitude, often leading to greater happiness and life satisfaction. It also offers more time for meaningful relationships, personal passions, and the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy.

Cognitive changes in advanced age.

With advancing age, cognitive functions like memory and processing speed tend to decline. Some 20% of people experience dementia, a progressive neurological condition characterized by a decline in memory, thinking ability, and daily functioning so severe that it interferes with a person’s ability to live independently (Moon et al., 2019). Dementia is currently the most important cause of disability in high-income countries (Gomes Gonçalves et al., 2023)

However, cognitive decline does not affect all people equally. Some individuals start experiencing strong cognitive decline relatively early (e.g., in their 40s). In contrast, others retain much of their cognitive abilities well into very advanced age, such as their 80s (Mella et al., 2018). Also, cognitive decline does not affect all cognitive functions equally. For example, vocabulary knowledge seems to remain stable or even improve as people gain experience, even up to 91 years of age (Kavé, 2024).

Examining the factors that contribute to these individual differences in cognitive decline rates, researchers highlight cognitive reserve as a crucial protective factor against cognitive decline. Cognitive reserve refers to the brain’s ability to resist the effects of aging or neurological damage by efficiently reorganizing its neural networks or utilizing alternative neural pathways to achieve desired cognitive outcomes. It is believed to be created throughout one’s life through education, social engagement, cognitively stimulating leisure activities, and generally through engaging in activities that require intense cognitive processing (M. Tucker & Stern, 2011; Stern, 2002).

Ultraprocessed foods and cognition.

Ultraprocessed foods are industrially manufactured products made from refined ingredients, additives, and preservatives, with little to no whole food content. They are primarily designed for convenience and long shelf life (Hedrih, 2024; Monteiro et al., 2019). They are most often hyperpalatable, making them easy to overconsume. Common examples include sugary cereals, instant noodles, soft drinks, and packaged snacks.

Studies link frequent consumption of ultraprocessed foods with obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, and other health conditions. 

Studies have linked frequent consumption of ultraprocessed foods with obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, and various other adverse health conditions (Lane et al., 2024; Samuthpongtorn et al., 2023). Additionally, some studies indicate that ultraprocessed foods, and particularly those containing specific additives, activate processes in the brain similar to those found in substance use disorders, creating what is referred to as food addiction (Gearhardt et al., 2023; Hedrih, 2023).

The current study.

Study author Natalia Gomes Gonçalves and her colleagues note that the consumption of ultraprocessed foods increased drastically in the past 40 years. Currently, around 58% of calories consumed by U.S. citizens and 30% of total calories of Brazilians come from ultraprocessed foods. They conducted a study to investigate the association between the consumption of ultraprocessed foods and the cognitive decline among Brazilians (Gomes Gonçalves et al., 2023).

They analyzed data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health, a longitudinal study that included public servants between 35 and 74 years of age (at the start of the study) from six Brazilian cities (Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, São Paulo, and Vitória). Data were collected in three waves, approximately four years apart. The first wave occurred between 2008 and 2010, while the last wave spanned 2017 and 2019.

The analyzed data came from 10,775 participants in this study. Their average age at the start of the study was 52 years. Fifty-five percent of participants were women, and 57% held a college degree.

At the start of the study, participants reported their food and drink consumption patterns in the past 12 months using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Study authors classified the foods reported in the questionnaire into four categories based on the Nova classification system (Monteiro et al., 2018). One of the categories was ultraprocessed foods. They also completed cognitive assessments up to three times during the study period, i.e., once in each wave. The cognitive assessments explored participants’ memory and executive functioning. The study authors also utilized data on participants’ sociodemographic characteristics and various clinical and lifestyle factors.

Figure 1. Study procedure (Gonçalves, 2022)

 

Individuals consuming ultraprocessed foods had a faster pace of cognitive decline

Participants’ mean daily calorie intake was 2856 kcal, and 27% came from ultraprocessed foods. The study authors divided participants into four equally sized groups based on the percentage of calories from ultraprocessed foods in their diets. Such groups are called quartiles.

Participants in the first quartile had the lowest share of calories from ultraprocessed foods in their daily diets, with an average of 15% of their calories coming from ultraprocessed foods. The 4th quartile comprised 25% of participants with the highest intake of ultraprocessed foods. They received 41% of their calories from ultraprocessed foods. Individuals in this 4th quartile also had the highest total energy intake, lower physical activity, lower frequency of other adverse health conditions, but a higher frequency of depression.

Individuals taking more than 20% of their daily calories from ultraprocessed foods (i.e., those in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quartile) had a 28% faster rate of cognitive decline with age than those taking below 20% of calories from ultraprocessed foods. These individuals also had a 25% faster rate of decline in executive function. However, there was no association between ultraprocessed food consumption and changes in memory scores (see Figure).

Figure 2. Ultra-processed food intake and cognitive decline

Conclusion

The study results indicate that frequent consumption of ultraprocessed food, i.e., taking more than 20% of daily calories from foods of this type, is associated with faster cognitive decline in Brazilian public servants.

Taking more than 20% of daily calories from foods of this type is associated with faster cognitive decline

While the mechanisms behind this association are being increasingly explored, these findings suggest that ultraprocessed food consumption may be an important topic to consider when planning interventions and policies to prevent or slow cognitive decline, or support the health of older individuals.

The paper “Association Between Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods and Cognitive Decline” was authored by Natalia Gomes Gonçalves, Naomi Vidal Ferreira, Neha Khandpur, Euridice Martinez Steele, Renata Bertazzi Levy, Paulo Andrade Lotufo, Isabela M. Bensenor, Paulo Caramelli, Sheila Maria Alvim de Matos, Dirce M. Marchioni, Claudia Kimie Suemoto.

 

References

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