MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- For middle-aged adults, higher ultraprocessed food (UPF) intake is associated with greater adiposity and greater odds of vascular brain injury (VBI), but not cognitive performance, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in JAMA Network Open.
Russell J. de Souza, R.D., Sc.D., from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues examined associations of UPF consumption with adiposity, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-defined VBI, and cognitive performance in a cross-sectional study including 8,783 adults aged 35 to 69 years without cardiovascular disease in Canada.
The researchers found that compared with those in the lowest quartile of UPF intake, those in the highest quartile had a body fat percentage that was 1.7 percentage points higher and a 5.7 mL greater visceral adipose tissue volume; no significant difference was seen in hepatic fat fraction. The highest quartile of UPF also had higher odds of VBI compared with the lowest quartile (adjusted odds ratio, 1.40). There were no significant associations between UPF intake and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment or the Digital Symbol Substitution Test.
"We need longer-term studies that track people over time with repeated MRI scans to find out whether reducing ultraprocessed food intake can slow or prevent these brain changes," de Souza said in a statement.
Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.
