Navigation
Ultra-processed food intake, cognitive function, and dementia risk: A cross-sectional study of middle-aged and older Australian adults
Examining the broader dietary landscape, recent research underscores the negative implications of ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption, linking it to over 30 detrimental health outcomes. These outcomes span conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, all of which are known risk factors for dementia. A new study delves into the specific relationship between UPF intake, cognitive performance, and dementia risk scores, seeking to establish if these associations hold independently of the quality of the overall diet.
This cross-sectional analysis involved 2,192 Australian participants aged 40–70 years who were free from dementia. Researchers utilized a validated food frequency questionnaire to assess dietary habits, classifying foods per the Nova system’s standards. Cognitive abilities were measured through the Cogstate Brief Battery, while dementia risk assessment employed the CAIDE tool.
The findings reveal that a 10% increase in UPF consumption correlates with a decline in attention scores by 0.05 points and an elevation in dementia risk by 0.24 points, with these effects observed independently of adherence to a Mediterranean diet. Thus, a higher intake of UPFs is linked to diminished attention and an increased modifiable risk of dementia, transcending the influence of overall diet quality. [NPID: ultra-processed food, cognition, dementia]
Year: 2026
