Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
July 28, 2022 Thursday, Jan. (HealthDay News) — Eating large amounts of ultra-processed foods may significantly increase the risk of dementia, according to a new study by Chinese researchers.
Ultra-processed foods are high in sugar, fat, and salt, but high in protein and fiber Low. Soda, savory and sugary snacks and desserts, ice cream, sausage, fried chicken, flavored yogurt, ketchup, mayonnaise, packaged bread, and flavored cereal are all examples.
Replacing these foods with healthier alternatives may lead to dementia, study finds 19% lower chance of disease.
” These results imply that consumers are informed of these associations, implemented Actions to reformulate products and communicate to limit ultra-processed foods in the diet, [instead] promote the consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits,” said lead researcher Huiping Li at Tianjin Medical University School of Public Health.
This study does not prove that eating ultra-processed foods increases dementia The risk just seems to have to be a link.
PhD. Sam Gandy, director of the Mount Sinai Center for Cognitive Health in New York City, reviewed the findings.
“This is consistent with a growing body of evidence that A heart-healthy diet and lifestyle is the best way for everyone to regulate their dementia risk,” Gandy said. “The main novelty here is the focus on the risks of ultra-processed foods rather than the benefits of heart-healthy foods.”
For the study, Lee’s team collected data on more than 72,000 people listed in the UK Biobank, a large database of health information for people in the UK. At first, the participants were 55 and older, and none had dementia. Over an average of 10 years, 518 people developed dementia.
Researchers compared the eating habits of 18,000 people that included low amounts of processed foods , similar in quantity but ate a lot.
The participants ate the least processed food (about 8 ounces per day) ) had dementia in 100 and 150 of those who ate the most (about 28-29 ounces per day). The study considered a serving of pizza or fish sticks to be just over 5 ounces.
Beverages, sugar-sweetened products, and ultra-processed dairy products are the main sources of ultra-processed food intake.
Li’s team estimated that using fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, Replacing 10 percent of ultra-processed foods with unprocessed or minimally processed foods like milk and meat was associated with a 19 percent lower risk of dementia (but not Alzheimer’s).
Lee said that a simple change in food choices can make “Small but controllable dietary changes, such as increasing the amount of unprocessed or minimally processed foods each day A reduction of just 2 ounces [about half an apple, a serving of corn, or a bowl of bran], along with a 2-ounce reduction in ultra-processed food intake per day [about a chocolate bar or a serving of bacon], may be associated with a 3% reduction in dementia disease risk,” Li said.
Samantha, Senior Clinical Dietitian, NYU Langone Health, New York City Samantha Heller said ultra-processed foods have long been known to increase the risk of many chronic diseases. They include heart disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
“While the exact cause is unknown, it is not surprising that this dietary pattern is associated with an increased risk of dementia,” she said. “Ultra-processed foods are biochemically designed and advertised to increase cravings and cravings for these foods, while in many households healthier options such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains are crowded out.”
Poor nutritional quality of ultra-processed foods – high in salt, sugar and saturated fat , low levels of fiber — are responsible for poor physical and mental health, Heller said.
“Hiding dementia is starting to add more to our diets Another big reason for more plant-based foods and less ultra-processed and animal-based foods,” she said.
Switching can be as simple as using a whole grain cereal (like shredded wheat or oats) slices) in place of sugary grains, or in salads or mushrooms and spinach in place of pizza instead of pepperoni and sausage, Heller says.
Or, she suggests, in whole wheat pita and chopped Try falafel and cucumber instead of a ham sandwich for a tomato, or lentil soup and salad instead of a cheeseburger.
“Every meal is an opportunity to make healthy choices,” Heller said.
Keep the kitchen stocked with healthy foods like canned or dried beans, quinoa or Whole grains like brown rice, peanut or almond butter, assorted dried fruits, and frozen vegetables make it easier to keep foods high in fiber and nutrients together, she says.
“The way to learn new food preparation and meal ideas may at first be It can be daunting, but there are plenty of free recipes and resources available online,” Heller said. “Interestingly, I’ve found that for my patients, once they start eating less ultra-processed foods and eating more fresh foods, the cravings and tastes for ultra-processed foods decrease, sometimes even a bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich. It doesn’t taste good.”
Research results published on July 27 Published online in the journal Neurology .
Boston University researcher Maura Walker and Nicole Spartano questioned the study’s definition of ultra-processed food in a companion editorial. They noted that preparation methods can affect the nutritional value of foods, and said further research that did not rely on participants’ self-reported eating habits would be beneficial.
“As we aim to better understand the complexity of dietary intake [processing, timing, mixed meals], we must also consider the possible need to invest in higher quality dietary assessments,” they wrote road.
More information
) For more information on diet and dementia, visit the National Institute on Aging.
Source: Li Huiping, Ph.D., School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University , Tianjin, China; Sam Gandy, MD, PhD, Director, Mount Sinai Center for Cognitive Health, New York City; Samantha Heller, MS, RD, CDN, Senior Clinical Nutritionist, NYU Langone Health; Neurology , July Online February 27, 2022
