Navigation
Association of ultraprocessed food consumption with risk of dementia
Current research points to the relationship between consuming ultra-processed foods (UPF) and health derangements such as cardiovascular disease, depression, and all-cause mortality. The evidence on the links between UPF and dementia, on the other hand, remains insufficient. Li et al. (2022) examined the links between dementia incidence and UPF consumption using a sample from the UK Biobank study (n = 72083, ≥ 55 years old, dementia-free at baseline). The participants were followed up through March 2021, and had their all-cause dementia (from Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia) verified through electronic hospital and mortality records. UPF definitions were set according to the NOVA classifications. The authors report an incidence of dementia in 518 of the participants (119 vascular dementia and 287 Alzheimer’s disease cases) throughout the follow-up period (10.0 years, n = 717333 participants). UPF consumption was linked to an increased risk of developing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia. Furthermore, substituting the contribution of UPF to overall dietary intake by 10% and replacing it with minimally processed or unprocessed food led to a reduction in the risk of developing dementia by 19%. The authors conclude that their prospective cohort study demonstrates the relationship between increased UPF consumption and higher risks of developing dementia, in addition to the impact of minimally processed or unprocessed food substitution on the reduction in dementia risk. [NPID: Ultra-processed food, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia]
Year: 2022
