Study Links Ultraprocessed Foods to 40% Higher Odds of Silent Brain Injury
Updated
Updated · Medscape · Oct 20
Study Links Ultraprocessed Foods to 40% Higher Odds of Silent Brain Injury
3 articles · Updated · Medscape · Oct 20
Summary
8,783 adults aged 35-69 without cardiovascular disease showed a clear gradient: MRI-defined vascular brain injury appeared in 11.3% of the highest ultraprocessed-food consumers versus 8.1% of the lowest.
After adjusting for demographic, lifestyle and cardiometabolic factors, the highest-intake quartile still had 40% higher odds of covert brain infarcts or heavy white matter disease, while cognitive test scores showed no significant difference.
Higher ultraprocessed-food intake also tracked with greater adiposity, including 1.7 percentage points more body fat and 5.7 mL more visceral fat; the association appeared stronger in women, though researchers called that finding exploratory.
The cross-sectional design cannot prove cause and effect, and investigators said longer-term follow-up with repeat MRI scans is already underway to test whether midlife diet contributes to later stroke risk or cognitive decline.