Ultra-processed foods may lead to cognitive decline, study finds

A study conducted by USP scientists based on the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (Elsa-Brasil) found that consuming even small amounts of ultra-processed foods a decline in cognitive performance over time.

Presented during the Association’s International Conference. Alzheimer’sHeld between July 31 and August 4 in San Diego, United States, data showed that this lifetime cognitive decline was 28% greater. Among participants who consumed more than 20% of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods.

Ultra-processed foods are those that have undergone a higher level of industrial processing, such as stuffed cookies and packaged snacks. In general, these foods contain higher amounts of sugar, fat and sodium.

Elsa-Brasil, which is used as a research database, is a national epidemiological study conducted since 2008 based on the health status of approximately 15,000 employees at USP, UFES, Fiocruz, UFBA, UFMG and UFRGS institutions. The priority is to investigate the incidence and risk factors of chronic diseases.

How was the research on ultra-processed products done?

The survey on consumption of ultra-processed foods used data from 10,775 participants in the first three “waves” (three-year studies) of Elsa. To classify the diets of the participants, they were divided into four groups according to the food classification of the participants. Food Guide for the Brazilian Population.

Thus, dinners were divided into:

• unprocessed (vegetables, fruits, cereals, etc.);
• kitchen supplies (oils, salt, oils),
• processed foods with slight modifications, such as added salt or sugar;
• and ultra-processed products (bread loaves, instant noodles, ready-to-eat lunch boxes, soft drinks, among others).

results

After dividing people aged 35-74 into four groups – to measure the percentage of ultra-processed foods in the diet –, the researchers linked the values ​​to the ratings recorded by Elsa. The study is considered the largest sample and longest duration for assessing cognitive performance in Brazil.

After going through the data, the scientists found that there were people who consumed more than 20% of their daily calories from ultra-processed products. – equivalent to three slices of loaf of bread – There was a 28% greater decline in cognitive performance than those who ate less than 20%.

With USP MagazineNatália Gonçalves, lead author of the study, stated that “in addition to the unpublished results” behavior that people can change“It reduces the chances of cognitive decline.