- A new study suggests that regular consumption of ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of developing early signs of Parkinson’s disease.
- Ultra-processed foods include mass-produced bread, crisps, cereals, and fizzy drinks, which contain preservatives, artificial colours and flavours, and additives like emulsifiers.
- The study, published in the journal Neurology, tracked 43,000 people over 26 years, monitoring their health status and dietary habits through questionnaires and medical exams.
- Participants who consumed 11 or more servings of ultra-processed food per day had a 2.5-fold higher chance of showing early signs of Parkinson’s disease compared to those consuming fewer than three servings.
- An author of the study, Xiang Gao from Fudan University in China, said reducing the intake of processed foods and increasing the consumption of whole, nutritious foods could be beneficial for maintaining brain health.
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