A study of thousands of Canadians has found an association between eating ultra-processed food and the presence of small blood vessel disease in the brain. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, looked at ultra-processed food intake and its potential links to body fat, vascular brain injury, and cognition in middle-aged adults.
Professor Derek Hill, Professor of Medical Imaging at UCL, noted that the blood vessel disease was assessed by an expert radiologist visually inspecting MRI brain scans for micro bleeds and white matter disease. This method is described as a widely used and reliable approach.
However, the study's design means it cannot establish a causal link, according to Professor Hill and Professor Jules Griffin, Director of the Rowett Institute at the University of Aberdeen. They both stated that the study does not show that eating a large amount of ultra-processed food is a risk factor for greater damage to brain blood vessels, as this would require a study design that follows individuals over time.
Professor Griffin also highlighted that the group consuming the highest proportion of ultra-processed foods also consumed more calories. While the authors mathematically corrected for factors like age, sex, education, and income, they did not correct for increased consumption of salt, sugar, and saturated fat, which are known to contribute to poorer health.