Takeaway
Highly processed food consumed in incremental quantities is linked to increased risk for all-cause dementia and its two major components, vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Replacing these foods with equivalent amounts unprocessed food reduces risk for these diseases.
Why this matters
Consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) is associated with increased risk for adverse health-related outcomes; however, the impact of poor diet quality on risk for dementia is unclear.
There are limited pharmacological treatments to manage symptoms of dementia, which remains a terminal illness. Educating people about the health impact of UPFs and encouraging dietary changes could be a simple strategy to reduce risk for this debilitating disease.