Ultra-Processed Foods Linked To Poor Focus, Dementia Risks: Study

MELBOURNE, April 24 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- A diet high in ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can negatively impact the brain's ability to focus and increase the risk of developing dementia, new research revealed on Friday, reported Xinhua.

The study analysed the diets and cognitive health of more than 2,100 dementia-free Australian adults of middle and older age, finding that even a slight daily increase in UPF intake was linked to a measurable drop in attention span, regardless of overall diet quality, according to a statement of Australia's Monash University.

The study, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, reinforces a clear connection between industrial food manufacturing and cognitive decline, said lead author Barbara Cardoso from Monash University.

Cardoso said a 10-per-cent increase in UPF intake – roughly equivalent to adding a packet of chips a day –was associated with "a distinct and measurable drop in a person's ability to focus" and lower scores on cognitive tests.

Participants consumed about 41 per cent of their daily energy from UPFs, such as soft drinks, packaged salty snacks and ready-made meals, close to Australia's national average of 42 per cent.

"Ultra-processing of food often destroys the natural structure and introduces potentially harmful substances like artificial additives or processing chemicals," Cardoso said, adding that the degree of food processing itself, not just poor diet quality, may affect brain function.

While no direct link to memory loss was identified, the researchers noted that reduced attention could affect learning and problem-solving over time.

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA