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| Highly Processed Foods May Be a Factor in Dementia. |
The risk of cognitive deterioration is increased by consuming highly processed meals. According to a new study published in JAMA Neurology, eating ultra-processed foods (UPFs) increases the risk of cognitive impairment, especially in middle-aged people.
The effects of UPFs on health:-
Consumers receive minimal to no health benefits from UPFs, which are food items made of highly processed food ingredients such as oils, fats, sugars, starches, and protein isolates. UPFs frequently include these components in addition to artificial flavourings, colours, emulsifiers, and other cosmetic additives. Breakfast cereals, savoury and sweet snacks, ice cream, ready-to-eat frozen meals, processed meats, and drinks with added sugar are a few examples of typical UPFs.
What elements influence dementia?-
Globally, 57 million people were predicted to be affected by dementia in 2019, and 153 million cases are anticipated by 2050 due to an increase in life expectancy. There are still no proven methods for stopping or postponing the onset of dementia symptoms, despite the fact that it is one of the leading causes of impairment in high-income nations.
However, lifestyle choices like regular exercise, a balanced diet, and quitting smoking seem to lower the risk of dementia. Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fish are foods that have been specifically associated with increased brain volume and the preservation of cognitive function throughout time.
Consumers receive minimal to no health benefits from UPFs, which are food items made of highly processed food ingredients such as oils, fats, sugars, starches, and protein isolates. UPFs frequently include these components in addition to artificial flavourings, colours, emulsifiers, and other cosmetic additives. Breakfast cereals, savoury and sweet snacks, ice cream, ready-to-eat frozen meals, processed meats, and drinks with added sugar are a few examples of typical UPFs.
The global food sector output of UPFs has significantly expanded during the past 40 years. According to current estimates, UPFs make up 58% of the calories Americans, Britons, Canadians, and Brazilians consume, 57% of the calories Americans, 57% of British, and 48% of the calories Canadians consume.
According to earlier research, consuming UPFs often increases the risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. The current study sought to learn more about this potential relationship but owing to the absence of information linking the risk of UPF intake and dementia.
The participants in the present multicenter prospective cohort research ranged in age from 35 to 74 and were drawn from Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, So Paolo, and Vitoria, among other Brazilian cities. The participant's data were gathered in three waves, each about four years apart, starting in 2008 and concluding in 2019.
The study subjects disclosed their daily frequency of consumption of various food and drink items at the outset. The degree of industrial processing used to create these food products determined how they were categorised.
For instance, unprocessed or lightly processed foods like fresh, dried, or frozen fruits and vegetables, cereals, meat, and milk were included in Group 1 food products. Processed cooking additives such as salt, sugar, and oils were included in group 2 food goods.
Processed foods like canned fruit, salted, smoked, or cured meat or fish, as well as certain bread and cheese products, made up Group 3. UPFs such as flavours, sweeteners, and emulsifiers made comprised group 4.
Additionally, cognitive tests were administered to study participants as often as three times every four years. These evaluations included word list tests for recognition as well as memory tests such as immediate and delayed recall. The individuals' executive function skills were also evaluated using measures of phonemic and semantic verbal fluency.
High UPF intake linked to cognitive deterioration:-
The research had 10,775 participants in all, with an average follow-up of eight years. At the outset, the study's participants had a mean age of 52, a gender ratio of roughly 55%, a race of 53%, and a level of education of 57%. Additionally, the research participants' mean body mass index (BMI) at baseline was around 27, with a mean daily calorie consumption of 2,856 kcal.
Participants who consumed more than 19.9% on a daily basis had a 28% quicker rate of global cognitive ageing. More precisely, these people saw a 25% higher rate of loss in their executive function, with no appreciable change in their memory function.
Notably, research participants under 60 were more likely to have global cognitive loss than people 60 years of age or more who took comparable amounts of UPFs daily.
The researchers speculate that the cerebrovascular lesions brought on by long-term UPF use may be the source of this loss in executive function. Consuming UPF may also increase the flow of proinflammatory substances, which in turn causes systemic inflammation that damages the brain.
When taken as a whole, the research results from a sizable population cohort highlight the significance of restricting UPF intake, especially in middle-aged adults, to protect cognitive integrity.
