US EditionDementia Risk Linked to Everyday Food Millions Eat, Study Suggests
Researchers found a 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake was linked to lower attention scores and higher modifiable dementia-risk scores.
- Researchers at Monash University examined more than 2,000 Australian adults ages 40 to 70, finding that every 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake was tied to lower attention scores and higher dementia-risk indices, regardless of overall diet quality.
- Ultra-Processed foods are industrial formulations composed of refined ingredients and cosmetic additives that destroy natural food structures, potentially triggering neuroinflammation and gut-brain axis dysregulation linked to cognitive decline.
- Dr. Daniel Amen, founder of Amen Clinics, described ultra-processed items as "medicine or poison," noting the brain uses about 20% of daily calories and warning these foods drive inflammation, which he called "bad for the brain."
- Amen urged those at risk to "get serious about prevention as early as possible," recommending replacement of one ultra-processed food daily with whole foods, emphasizing that "small choices done consistently can change your brain and your life."
- Scientific limitations persist; the observational study relied on self-reported data, and Dr. Steven K. Clinton of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center cautioned that categorizing diverse foods as ultra-processed might confuse consumers about nutritional value.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Eating one bag of chips a day increases dementia risk, new study suggests
A new study from Australia’s Monash University has discovered that a diet high in ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may increase the risk of developing dementia. The study, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring , analyzed the diets and cognitive health of more than 2,100 Australian dementia-free adults aged 40 to 70 between November 2016 and December 2023. Researchers found that a daily increase of as little …
Study Links Ultra-Processed Food Intake to Reduced Attention, Higher Dementia Risk Score
Junk Food Consumption May Be Linked to Higher Dementia Risk A cross-sectional study of 2,192 Australian adults found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with lower attention scores and a higher dementia risk estimate, according to a report from StudyFinds. The study, led by researchers at Monash University and published in Alzheimer’s & […]
New York Post
Dementia risk rises with common food type millions eat every day, study suggests
The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia by the Alzheimer’s Association, revealed that UPFs are linked to more than 30 adverse health outcomes, including several dementia risk factors, like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Ultra-Processed Foods May Be Quietly Affecting Your Brain's Ability to Focus
Ultra-processed foods are pervasive in Western diets, and new research has linked these industrially produced meals, drinks, and snacks to poorer brain health. Specifically, the study explored the correlation between attention, dementia risk, and the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diets of more than 2,000 dementia-free Australians aged 40–70. Nutritional biochemist Barbara Cardoso from Monash University in Australia led the analysis …
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