Ultraprocessed Food Consumption Linked to Cognitive Impairment, Stroke
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, May 23, 2024 -- The levels of food processing is associated with cognitive impairment and stroke, according to a study published online May 22 in Neurology.
Varun M. Bhave, from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues examined the associations between ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) and incident cognitive impairment and stroke. Items from a baseline food frequency questionnaire were categorized according to level of processing. In addition, scores quantifying adherence to a Mediterranean, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet were calculated.
The cognitive impairment cohort included 14,175 individuals without evidence of impairment at baseline, and the stroke cohort included 20,243 individuals without a history of stroke. The researchers found that a 10 percent increase in relative intake of UPFs was associated with a higher risk for cognitive impairment (hazard ratio [HR], 1.16), while a lower risk for cognitive impairment was seen with intake of unprocessed or minimally processed foods (HR, 0.88). Similar associations were seen for stroke. The effect of UPFs on stroke risk was higher for Black than White individuals (UPF by race interaction HR, 1.15). The associations between UPFs and cognitive impairment and stroke were independent of dietary pattern adherence.
"Our findings support the hypothesis that the degree of food processing plays an important role in overall brain health and provides complementary information to other recommended dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets," the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
![](/img/logo/vendor/healthday-logo.png)
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted May 2024
Read this next
First Responders With More Debris Exposure Have Higher Risk of Early Dementia
FRIDAY, June 14, 2024 -- More severe exposure to dust or debris among World Trade Center (WTC) responders is significantly associated with a higher risk of dementia at <65...
1990 to 2019 Saw Increase in Life Expectancy in Seniors With T1DM
FRIDAY, June 14, 2024 -- From 1990 to 2019, there was an increase in life expectancy in older people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), according to a study published online...
Second Tumors Are Rare After Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy
FRIDAY, June 14, 2024 -- Second tumors are rarely seen after chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, according to a study published in the June 13 issue of the New England...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.