A new Canadian study has linked heavy consumption of ultra-processed food to early, silent signs of brain damage in otherwise healthy middle-aged adults.
Researchers at McMaster University's Population Health Research Institute examined MRI scans from nearly 9,000 Canadians who had no heart problems and no other reported health concerns. Those in the highest ultra-processed food intake group were 40 per cent more likely to show small areas of brain damage than those in the lowest intake group. The changes produce no obvious symptoms but are recognised as early warning signs for stroke and memory problems.
The foods most associated with the pattern are familiar supermarket staples: packaged snacks, sugary breakfast cereals, soft drinks, instant noodles and ready-to-eat frozen meals.
First author Russell J. de Souza, of McMaster and Hamilton Health Sciences, said the finding was unexpected, because this kind of brain change is usually associated with much older age. Co-author Sonia Anand worked with de Souza on the study, which adds brain health to the list of concerns researchers are examining around ultra-processed diets.
