Consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of dementia. The evidence emerges from a study just published in the scientific journal Neurology and adds to the correlation already found with other diseases and generic risk of premature death. But it only takes a little to reverse the trend. (1)
Ultraprocessed foods, what are they
Ultra-processed foods have been identified according to the NOVA method, which classifies food into four categories, the last of which is precisely that of ultra-processed foods. (2)
Included in the definition are those foods that are low in protein, soluble fiber and polyunsaturated fat, but high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS, High in Fat, Sugar and Salt), such as many snacks, drinks, ready meals etc. They are also recognizable in that they cannot be reproduced at home because they are made with additives and ingredients obtained by industrial processes (hydrogenation, hydrolysis, etc.). And they often contain harmful molecules from heat treatment(acrylamide, for example) and chemical residues released from packaging (see Bisphenol A, phthalates).
Dementia, depression and other ailments
The habit of regularly consuming this type of food is easily associated with the risk of obesity (now an epidemic even in Italy). But this is only a more conspicuous ‘side effect’.
Additional, more subtle ills have in fact been identified in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, and all-cause mortality. (3)
For the first time, Chinese researchers analyzed the risk of dementia and its incidence as a function of consumption of ultra-processed foods. Dementia globally afflicts 50 million individuals, estimated to triple by 2050, and against which 40 years of research have not provided useful treatments. Therefore, the only way is to act on modifiable risk factors, such as diet (in addition to smoking, alcoholism and exercise).
The study
Researchers from Tianjin Medical University selected 72 thousand people over-55from among the half million Britons (37-73 years old) in the Biobank UK cohort study database.
They gave them a questionnaire on eating habits and divided them into four groups of 18,021 people according to the frequency of their consumption of ultra-processed foods.
The result
After 10 years, 518 people were diagnosed with dementia, including 287 with Alzheimer’s disease and 119 with vascular dementia.
The large consumer of ultra-processed foods is typically (in the UK) young white people who do not smoke or drink alcohol, low income, poorly educated, with unbalanced diet and familiarity with dementia.
The most widely consumed group of ultra-processed foods are.
– beverages (34 percent),
– highly sweetened products (21%),
– ultra-processed dairy products (17 percent), products that we could liken to the milk snacks we have been dealing with,
– salty snacks (11%).
Little is needed to turn the tide
Processing of the collected data shows that for every 10% increase in consumption of ultra-processed foods, the risk of dementia from all causes increases by 22% (+13% Alzheimer’s and +29% vascular dementia).
In contrast, replacing 10 percent of ultra-processed foods with unprocessed or minimally processed foods-fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, milk, and meat-decreases the risk of dementia by 19 percent.
‘Moreover, our results suggest that small and manageable dietary changes, such as increasing the amount of unprocessed or minimally processed foods by only 50g and simultaneously decreasing UPF (ultra-processed food, ed.) intake by 50g may be a feasible strategy to prevent dementia.’
Swapping a salty or sweet snack for half an apple, in short, makes a big difference in dementia prevention.
Notes
(1) Li H, Li S, Yang H, Zhang Y, Zhang S, Ma Y, Hou Y, Zhang X, Niu K, Borne Y, Wang Y. Association of Ultraprocessed Food Consumption With Risk of Dementia: A Prospective Cohort. Neurology. 2022 Jul doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200871. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35896436. https://bit.ly/3OREPMX
(2) Dario Dongo and Marta Strinati. NOVA classification, natural and ultra-processed foods. Friends and enemies of health. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade), 16.9.20
(3) V.
– Srour B, Fezeu LK, Kesse-Guyot E, et al. Ultra-processed food intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective cohort study (NutriNet-Sante). BMJ 2019; 365: l1451.
– Levy RB, Rauber F, Chang K, et al. Ultra-processed food consumption and type 2 diabetes incidence: A prospective cohort study. Clin Nutr 2021; 40(5): 3608-14.
– Srour B, Fezeu LK, Kesse-Guyot E, et al. Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Among Participants of the NutriNet-Sante Prospective Cohort. JAMA Intern Med 2020; 180(2): 283-91.
– Fiolet T, Srour B, Sellem L, et al. Consumption of ultra-processed foods and cancer risk: results from NutriNet-Sante prospective cohort. BMJ 2018; 360: k322.
– Rico-Campa A, Martinez-Gonzalez MA, Alvarez-Alvarez I, et al. Association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and all cause mortality: SUN prospective cohort study. BMJ 2019; 365: l1949
– Adjibade M, Julia C, Alles B, et al. Prospective association between ultra-processed food consumption and incident depressive symptoms in the French NutriNet-Sante cohort. BMC Med 2019; 17(1): 78.
(4) Vascular dementias are considered the second most frequent cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Their main characteristic is reduced cognitive abilities, a problem that can appear suddenly, such as after a stroke, or manifest gradually over time, tending to worsen. V. Humanitas. Vascular dementias. https://www.humanitas.it/malattie/demenze-vascolari/
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".