Eating more UPFs raises stroke risk by up to 8 per cent

• A greater intake of UPFs was linked to an 8 per cent increased risk of stroke 
• READ MORE: 30-year study warns UPFs marginally raise risk of an early death

Eating lots of crisps, biscuits and fizzy drinks could lead to a higher risk of memory problems and stroke, according to a new study.

Experts have discovered 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 usually high in added sugar, fat and salt, and low in protein and fibre.

They also include the likes of ice cream, burgers, ketchup, mayonnaise, packaged bread and flavoured cereal.

The Nova system, developed by scientists in Brazil more than a decade ago, splits food into four groups based on the amount of processing it has gone through. Unprocessed foods include fruit, vegetables, nuts, eggs and meat. Processed culinary ingredients — which are usually not eaten alone — include oils, butter, sugar and salt

Food experts say some UPFs can be 'part of a healthy diet'. Baked beans, fish fingers and wholemeal bread all make the cut, according to the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF). Tomato-based pasta sauces, wholegrain breakfast cereals and fruit yoghurts are also 'healthier processed foods', the charity says

Unprocessed — or minimally processed — food, on the other hand, include meats such as simple cuts of beef, pork and chicken, and fruit and vegetables.

A team from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston analysed 30,239 people aged 45 or older who were followed for an average of 11 years.

Participants filled out questionnaires about what they ate and drank, allowing the researchers to determine how much ultra-processed food each person ate on average per day.

WHAT ARE ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS? 

Ultra-processed foods are high in added fat, sugar and salt, low in protein and fibre and contain artificial colourings, sweeteners and preservatives.

The term covers food that contains ingredients that a person wouldn't add when cooking at home — such as chemicals, colourings and preservatives.

Ready meals, ice cream, sausages, deep-fried chicken and ketchup are some of the best-loved examples.

They are different to processed foods, which are processed to make them last longer or enhance their taste, such as cured meat, cheese and fresh bread.

Ultra-processed foods, such as sausages, cereals, biscuits and fizzy drinks, are formulations made mostly or entirely from substances derived from foods and additives.

They contain little or no unprocessed or minimally processed foods, such as fruit, vegetables, seeds and eggs.

The foods are usually packed with sugars, oils, fats and salt, as well as  additives, such as preservatives, antioxidants and stabilisers.

Ultra-processed foods are often presented as ready-to-consume, taste good and are cheap.

Source: Open Food Facts

That percentage was then calculated into four groups, ranging from the least processed foods to the most processed foods.

By the end of the study, 768 people were diagnosed with cognitive impairment and 1,108 people had a stroke.

Analysis revealed that a 10 per cent increase in the amount of ultra-processed foods eaten was linked to a 16 per cent higher risk of being diagnosed with cognitive impairment.

However, eating more unprocessed foods was linked with a 12 per cent lower risk of cognitive impairment.

Meanwhile, a greater intake of ultra-processed foods was linked to an 8 per cent increased risk of stroke.

A greater intake of less-processed foods was linked to a 9 per cent decreased risk of stroke.

Study author Dr William Kimberley said: 'While a healthy diet is important in maintaining brain health among older adults, the most important dietary choices for your brain remain unclear.

'We found that increased consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a higher risk of both stroke and cognitive impairment.

'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 to better understand which food 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 can raise the risk of an early death by 13 per cent.

Researchers at Harvard University who tracked the diets of more than 114,000 middle-aged nurses and health professionals in the United States for three decades found a link between the consumption of mass-produced foods and the risk of dying early.

Diets high in ready-made processed meat and fish products appeared to be the most harmful, increasing the risk of early death by 13 per cent.

This category includes items such as shop-bought sausages, burgers, fish fingers, chicken nuggets and turkey twizzlers.

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