According to research published in the American Journal of Neurology, those who consume ultra-processed foods are at risk of dementia.
British Biobank analyzed more than 72,000 people for research that found ultra-processed foods high in fat, sugar and salt, while low in protein and fiber, increased the risk of dementia. increase.
Chinese researcher Huiping Li says that ultra-processed foods aim to make meals quick and delicious, but they reduce their quality.
Researchers say that these foods also contain food additives or molecules produced during packaging or heating, which have negative effects on human thinking and memory abilities.
Not only this, research has also revealed that dementia is exacerbated by the consumption of ultra-processed foods, so its negative effects can be reduced by the consumption of healthy foods.
Healthy individuals over the age of 55 were included in the study. During the survey, they were asked questions and analyzed about their eating habits. The study spanned ten years, at the end of which 518 people were diagnosed with dementia.
The researchers also used data from the study to assess how much risk a person would have for dementia if they replaced 10 percent of processed foods with less unhealthy or minimally processed foods. , resulting in a risk of up to 19%.
Research has also shown that eating unprocessed or minimally processed foods instead of ultra-processed foods can reduce the risk of dementia.
Researcher Huping Li says it’s encouraging to know that small, subtle changes in diet can make a difference to a person’s risk of dementia.