How ultra-processed foods increase your dementia risk, and ‘healthy’ items to avoid
From instant noodles to soft drinks, UPFs set people up for chronic diseases that raise the risk of developing dementia, experts say
What we put on our plates does far more than fuel our bodies – it affects our heart health, inflammation levels, hormone regulation, blood pressure, sleep quality and mood.
Each of these elements is a major risk factor for dementia. Dr Helen Macpherson, an associate professor at Deakin University’s Faculty of Health in Australia, rates diet an 8.5 out of 10 in terms of its importance for long-term brain health.
“Diet has a direct effect on the brain in terms of the nutrients we supply it with,” Macpherson says, noting that a poor diet also acts as an indirect driver of chronic conditions that slowly erode cognitive function.
The four tiers of food
Macpherson, who has published studies on the impact of diet on brain health in midlife, uses the internationally recognised Nova scale to identify these hidden hazards.