Eating a lot of chips, cookies and soft drinks could lead to a higher risk of memory problems and strokes, according to a new study.
Experts have found that there may be a link between a diet high in ultra-processed foods and the likelihood of cognitive decline and life-threatening medical conditions.
These foods are typically high in added sugar, fat, and salt, and low in protein and fiber.
They also include ice cream, hamburgers, ketchup, mayonnaise, packaged bread and flavored cereals.
The Nova system, developed by scientists in Brazil more than a decade ago, divides foods into four groups based on the amount of processing they have gone through. Unprocessed foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, and meat. Processed culinary ingredients, which are not typically eaten alone, include oils, butter, sugar, and salt.
Food experts say some UPF can be “part of a healthy diet.” Baked beans, fish fingers and whole wheat bread are sufficient, according to the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF). Tomato-based pasta sauces, whole grain breakfast cereals and fruit yoghurts are also “healthier processed foods”, the charity claims.
On the other hand, unprocessed (or minimally processed) foods include meats such as simple cuts of beef, pork, and chicken, as well as fruits and vegetables.
A team at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston analyzed 30,239 people ages 45 and older who were followed for an average of 11 years.
Participants completed questionnaires about what they ate and drank, allowing researchers to determine how many ultra-processed foods each person ate on average per day.
That percentage was then calculated into four groups, from the least processed foods to the most processed.
At the end of the study, 768 people were diagnosed with cognitive impairment and 1,108 people suffered a stroke.
The analysis revealed that a 10 percent increase in the amount of ultra-processed foods consumed was linked to a 16 percent increased risk of being diagnosed with cognitive impairment.
However, eating more unprocessed foods was linked to a 12 percent lower risk of cognitive decline.
Meanwhile, higher intake of ultra-processed foods was linked to an 8 percent increase in stroke risk.
Higher intake of less processed foods was linked to a 9 percent reduction in stroke risk.
Study author Dr William Kimberley said: “While a healthy diet is important for maintaining brain health among older adults, the most important dietary choices for the brain remain unclear.”
“We found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a higher risk of stroke and cognitive decline.
“Our findings show that the degree of food processing plays an important role in overall brain health.
“More research is needed to confirm these results and better understand which foods or processing components contribute most to these effects.”
The findings were published in the journal Neurology.
A separate study, published earlier this year, suggested that ultra-processed meat, such as chicken nuggets and hot dogs, may increase the risk of premature death by 13 percent.
Harvard University researchers who followed the diets of more than 114,000 middle-aged nurses and health professionals in the United States over three decades found a link between consumption of mass-produced foods and the risk of dying prematurely.
Diets high in processed meat and prepared fish products appeared to be the most harmful, increasing the risk of premature death by 13 percent.
This category includes items such as store-bought hot dogs, burgers, fish fingers, chicken nuggets, and turkey twizzlers.