Associations of ultra-processed food Intake and its circulating metabolomic signature with mental disorders in middle-aged and older adults

The global rise in ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption has raised public health concerns, particularly regarding its connection to mental health. This research aims to assess the associations between UPF-related metabolic signatures and mental disorders. In a population-based cohort study involving 30,059 participants from the UK Biobank, a plasma metabolic signature associated with UPF intake was identified using nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics. The study employed Cox and logistic regression models to explore the relationships between UPF consumption, its metabolic signature, and the incidence of mental disorders, as well as specific psychological symptoms. The results indicated that higher UPF intake was significantly correlated with increased risks for various mental disorders, including overall mental disorder, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and substance use disorder. Additionally, UPF intake was linked to psychological symptoms such as suicidal ideation and feelings of anxiety. Furthermore, the UPF-related metabolic signature was independently associated with heightened risks of these mental health outcomes and was found to partially mediate the associations between UPF intake and mental disorders. These findings emphasize the potential metabolic pathways that underlie the neuropsychiatric risks associated with UPF consumption, highlighting the critical role of dietary quality in mental health. [NPID: ultra-processed food, UPF, metabolic signatures, mental disorders, anxiety, depression, substance use, depressive, suicidal ideation, neuropsychiatric]

Year: 2025

Reference: Yuan, S., Zhu, T., Gu, J., Hua, L., Sun, J., Deng, X., & Ran, J. (2025). Associations of Ultra-Processed Food Intake and Its Circulating Metabolomic Signature with Mental Disorders in Middle-Aged and Older Adults. Nutrients, 17(9), 1582. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091582

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