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The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Ultra-processed food may pave the way for Parkinson's
A new study suggests that regular consumption of ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of developing early signs of Parkinson's disease. Ultra-processed foods include mass-produced bread, crisps, cereals, and fizzy drinks, which contain preservatives, artificial colours and flavours, and additives like emulsifiers. The study, published in the journal Neurology, tracked 43,000 people over 26 years, monitoring their health status and dietary habits through questionnaires and medical exams. Participants who consumed 11 or more servings of ultra-processed food per day had a 2.5-fold higher chance of showing early signs of Parkinson's disease compared to those consuming fewer than three servings. An author of the study, Xiang Gao from Fudan University in China, said reducing the intake of processed foods and increasing the consumption of whole, nutritious foods could be beneficial for maintaining brain health.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Ultra-processed food found strongly linked to early onset Parkinson's
People who regularly eat ultra-processed food may be at a higher risk of developing early signs of Parkinson's disease than those who don't, a new study suggests. Ultra-processed food includes mass-produced bread, crisps, cereals, and fizzy drinks which contain preservatives, artificial colours and flavours as well as additives like emulsifiers. Previous studies have linked frequent consumption of ultra-processed food to health problems such as obesity, heart illness, cancer, and early death. Now, a study published in the journal Neurology suggests that regularly eating ultra-processed food is strongly linked to early signs of Parkinson's disease, which could progress into more serious symptoms like tremors and slowed movement. 'Our research shows that eating too much processed food, like sugary sodas and packaged snacks, might be speeding up early signs of Parkinson's disease,' Xiang Gao, an author of the study from Fudan University in China, said. 'Eating a healthy diet is crucial as it has been associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases and the dietary choices we make today can significantly influence our brain health in the future.' The study assessed 43,000 people with an average age of 48 who did not have Parkinson's initially. Their health status was tracked for 26 years with regular questionnaires and medical exams. Researchers looked out for the participants' sleep behaviour, constipation, depressive symptoms, body pain, impairment in colour vision, excessive daytime sleepiness, and reduced ability to smell to determine if they had early signs of Parkinson's. They also had the participants complete a food diary every two to four years, detailing what they ate and how often. Researchers calculated each person's average daily intake of ultra-processed food and divided them into five categories on the basis of how much of it they ate. The first group ate 11 or more servings of ultra-processed food per day on average and the lowest-ranked category fewer than three servings a day. The first group had a 2.5-fold higher chance of having three or more early signs of Parkinson's disease compared to people consuming fewer than three servings a day, researchers found. This was after adjusting for factors such as age, physical activity and smoking. Researchers also found that eating more ultra-processed food was strongly linked to a greater risk for nearly all symptoms except constipation. 'Choosing to eat fewer processed foods and more whole, nutritious foods could be a good strategy for maintaining brain health,' Dr Gao said. Citing a limitation of the study, researchers said the participants self-reported the amount of ultra-processed food they ate, meaning they might not have accurately remembered how much they ate. 'More studies are needed,' Dr Gao noted, 'to confirm our finding that eating less processed food may slow down the earliest signs of Parkinson's disease.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Parkinson's disease prevention may ‘begin at the dinner table'
Eating about a dozen servings of ultraprocessed food each day could more than double your risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a new study. A single serving in the study was 8 ounces of diet or sugar-sweetened soda, a single hot dog, one slice of packaged cake, a mere tablespoon of ketchup or 1 ounce of potato chips — a typical small bag of chips is 1.5 ounces. 'Our research shows that eating too much processed food, like sugary sodas and packaged snacks, might be speeding up early signs of Parkinson's disease,' said senior study author Dr. Xiang Gao, a distinguished professor and dean of the Institute of Nutrition at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, in a statement. This latest study is part of the 'growing evidence that diet might influence the development of Parkinson's disease,' Gao said. While the study found that people who ate more ultraprocessed foods tended to report more early symptoms, it did not find a direct increase in the risk of Parkinson's disease itself, said Dr. Daniel van Wamelen, a clinical senior lecturer in neuroscience at King's College London. He was not involved in the new research. 'The study did not track whether participants were diagnosed with Parkinson's later on,' van Wamelen said in a statement. 'That said, having more of these symptoms suggests a higher risk over time.' The study analyzed years of health and diet data on nearly 43,000 participants of the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, two studies in the United States that have been gathering information on health behaviors for decades. The average age of people in the study was 48, and none had Parkinson's disease at the beginning of the study. All self-reported what they ate every few years — a limitation of the new research as participants may not have remembered their food intake accurately. Ultraprocessed foods measured by the study included artificially or sugar-sweetened beverages; condiments, sauces and spreads; packaged sweets snacks or desserts; yogurt or dairy-based desserts; breads and cereals; and packaged savory snacks. The study found a link between early signs of Parkinson's disease and all types of ultraprocessed foods except breads and cereals — a finding that indicates an underlying feature among most classes of ultraprocessed foods that may explain the results, the study said. One reason could be ultraprocessed foods typically have less dietary fiber, protein and micronutrients — but do have added sugar, salt, and saturated or trans fats, the study said. Ultraprocessed foods also may impact the balance of flora in the gut, while additives may increase inflammation, free radicals and neuron death, the study said. 'With a sample size exceeding 42,800 participants and a long follow-up period up to 26 years, this study stands out not only for its power but also for its methodological rigor,' wrote the authors of a corresponding editorial published with the study. The editorial was coauthored by Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, an associate professor of clinical neurology at Columbia University in New York City, and dietitian Maria Maraki, an assistant professor of sports medicine and exercise biology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. Neither were involved in the new research. 'The prevention of neurodegenerative diseases may begin at the dinner table,' they wrote. 'Excessive UPF consumption not only is a risk factor for metabolic diseases but may also accelerate neurodegenerative processes and associated symptoms.' In the new study, published Wednesday in the journal Neurology, researchers looked at the prodromal stage of Parkinson's disease — early signals that appear years to decades before the tremors, stiff muscles, slow gait and changes in posture that are hallmark symptoms of Parkinson's. Body pain, constipation, signs of depression, changes in the ability to smell or see colors, and excessive daytime sleepiness can all be early signs of Parkinson's disease, according to the Parkinson's Foundation. An extremely unusual sleep disorder, in which people can move during REM, or the rapid eye movement stage of sleep, is also a key early sign, according to research. The body is typically paralyzed during REM sleep so it cannot get up and act out any dreams. The study found that people who ate about 11 servings a day of ultraprocessed food — compared to people who only ate three — had a 2.5-fold greater likelihood of exhibiting three or more of the early signs of Parkinson's. In addition, eating more ultraprocessed foods was tied to an increased risk for nearly all symptoms except constipation, according to the study. This finding held true even after researchers accounted for other factors, such as age, physical activity and smoking, that might impact the results. 'Parkinson's is an incurable disease,' Gao said in an email. 'In our previous study based on the same populations used for the current analysis, we found that a healthy dietary pattern and physical activity could slow the disease progression. 'Choosing to eat fewer processed foods and more whole, nutritious foods could be a good strategy for maintaining brain health.' Sign up for CNN's Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life.
Medscape
08-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Ultraprocessed Foods Tied to Early Signs of Parkinson's
High intake of packaged snacks, hot dogs, sugary sodas, and other ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) was linked to increased risk for early, nonmotor signs of Parkinson's disease (PD), showed new research. Data analysis of nearly 43,000 individuals showed that those who consumed an average of 11 or more servings of UPFs per day were twice as likely to have at least three prodromal PD features compared with those who had less than three servings per day. Prodromal traits typically precede diagnosable symptoms of a condition. For PD, these features would precede more characteristic symptoms, such as tremors and movement problems. Higher UPF consumption was also linked to increased odds for having individual PD prodromal features, including probable rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (pRBD), body pain, depressive symptoms, and constipation. Xiang Gao, MD, PhD The findings suggest that 'a healthy dietary pattern — high in fruits and vegetables and low in UPF — could be beneficial against risk of PD, an incurable neuro-degenerative disease,' co-investigator Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, dean and distinguished professor, Institute of Nutrition, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, told Medscape Medical News. The study was published online on May 7 in Neurology. Future Risk Assessments Earlier studies by Gao's team showed that overall poor diet quality was associated with increased risk for PD. In addition, 'UPF, which is strongly associated with poor diet quality, has recently been shown to be associated with dementia, another major neurodegenerative disease. However, the relation between UPF and PD remained unknown,' he said. The investigators analyzed data on 42,853 participants (mean age, 47.8 years; 58.6% women) without PD from the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Repeated food frequency questionnaires were used to assess UPF consumption. Investigators included types of UPFs in the analysis, such as sauces, spreads, or condiments; packaged sweets; snacks or desserts; artificially- or sugar-sweetened beverages; animal-based products; yogurt- or dairy-based desserts; and packaged savory snacks. In addition, data were evaluated on seven PD prodromal features: pRBD, constipation, body pain, depressive symptoms, reduced ability to smell (hyposmia), excessive daytime sleepiness, and impaired color vision. 'Growing Body of Evidence' After adjusting for factors such as age, alcohol and caffeine intake, physical activity, and body mass index, participants with the highest cumulative average consumption (≥ 11 servings/d) were more than twice as likely to have more than three prodromal features compared with those with the lowest consumption (< 3 servings/d) (odds ratio [OR], 2.5; P < .0001). Similar results were found in the highest consumption group for having a combination of all the prodromal features except for constipation (OR, 2.0; P for trend < .0001), as well as for a combination of just constipation, pRBD, and hyposmia (OR, 2.5; P for trend = .008). Those who reported the highest UPF consumption also had increased risk for the individual prodromal features of body pain (adjusted OR [aOR], 1.7), constipation (aOR, 1.6), depressive symptoms (aOR, 1.5), and pRBD (aOR, 1.2). Drilling down even more, greater odds for prodromal features were associated with higher intake of the following specific types of UPF: Packaged sweet snacks/desserts (OR, 1.6), sweetened beverages (OR, 1.5), sauces/spreads/condiments (OR, 1.4), animal-based products (OR, 1.4), yogurt-/dairy-based desserts (OR, 1.3), and packaged savory snacks (OR, 1.3). Ultraprocessed breads/cereals and ready-to-eat/heat-mixed dishes did not have significant associations. 'Overall, our study adds to the growing body of evidence to support the adverse effects of UPF consumption on neurodegenerative diseases,' the investigators wrote. However, 'more studies are needed to confirm our finding that eating less processed food may slow down the earliest signs' of PD, Gao added in a release. Findings Reinforce 'Crucial Message' Commenting for Medscape Medical News, Daniel J. van Wamelen, PhD, clinical senior lecturer in neuroscience and honorary consultant neurologist at King's College London, London, England, noted that the study was well-designed overall, included a large number of participants, and addressed an interesting and useful topic. However, 'the results should be interpreted with some caution, given the limitations,' said van Wamelen, who was not involved with the research. 'The main message in my opinion is that external factors, such as ultraprocessed foods, may be associated with an increased presence of certain nonmotor symptoms and, pending data from future follow-up, might be shown to form a risk factor for Parkinson's disease,' he said. van Wamelen added separately in a press statement from the nonprofit Science Media Centre (SMC) that conditions such as constipation and sleep disturbances are common among the general population. 'It is important to highlight that the symptoms examined in this study are possible early signs of [PD], not definitive indicators that someone will go on to develop it,' he said in the statement. In an accompanying editorial, Maria Maraki, PhD, University of Athens, Athens, Greece, and Nikolaos Scarmeas, MD, Columbia University, New York City, wrote that the study results 'reinforce general health dietary guidelines' that emphasize minimal consumption of UPFs and are similar to previous studies. They suggested that potential links between UPFs and PD itself, rather than just its prodromal phase, should be the focus of future research. 'The prevention of neurodegenerative diseases may begin at the dinner table. Dietary choices today may shape brain health in the decades to come,' the editorialists wrote. 'This study reinforces a crucial message: excessive UPF consumption not only is a risk factor for metabolic diseases but may also accelerate neurodegenerative processes and associated symptoms,' they added. Eef Hogervorst, PhD, professor of psychology at Loughborough University, Loughborough, England, also commented on the findings in the SMC statement, noting 'it seemed strange' that the investigators categorized such things as pancakes, cream, coffee, distilled alcohol, and sandwiches made with beef, lamb, chicken, or turkey as non-UPFs. 'So this study may be affected by UPF categorization as a predictor,' said Hogervorst, who was not involved with the research. She also pointed out that because the study population consisted of 'mainly white health professionals,' the results may not be generalizable to all populations. This study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the Shanghai municipal public system, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation.
CNN
07-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
Ultraprocessed food linked to early signs of Parkinson's disease, study says
See all topics Eating about a dozen servings of ultraprocessed food each day could more than double your risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a new study. A single serving in the study was 8 ounces of diet or sugar-sweetened soda, a single hot dog, one slice of packaged cake, a mere tablespoon of ketchup or 1 ounce of potato chips — a typical small bag of chips is 1.5 ounces. 'Our research shows that eating too much processed food, like sugary sodas and packaged snacks, might be speeding up early signs of Parkinson's disease,' said senior study author Dr. Xiang Gao, a distinguished professor and dean of the Institute of Nutrition at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, in a statement. This latest study is part of the 'growing evidence that diet might influence the development of Parkinson's disease,' Gao said. While the study found that people who ate more ultraprocessed foods tended to report more early symptoms, it did not find a direct increase in the risk of Parkinson's disease itself, said Dr. Daniel van Wamelen, a clinical senior lecturer in neuroscience at King's College London. He was not involved in the new research. 'The study did not track whether participants were diagnosed with Parkinson's later on,' van Wamelen said in a statement. 'That said, having more of these symptoms suggests a higher risk over time.' The study analyzed years of health and diet data on nearly 43,000 participants of the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, two studies in the United States that have been gathering information on health behaviors for decades. The average age of people in the study was 48, and none had Parkinson's disease at the beginning of the study. All self-reported what they ate every few years — a limitation of the new research as participants may not have remembered their food intake accurately. Ultraprocessed foods measured by the study included artificially or sugar-sweetened beverages; condiments, sauces and spreads; packaged sweets snacks or desserts; yogurt or dairy-based desserts; breads and cereals; and packaged savory snacks. The study found a link between early signs of Parkinson's disease and all types of ultraprocessed foods except breads and cereals — a finding that indicates an underlying feature among most classes of ultraprocessed foods that may explain the results, the study said. One reason could be ultraprocessed foods typically have less dietary fiber, protein and micronutrients — but do have added sugar, salt, and saturated or trans fats, the study said. Ultraprocessed foods also may impact the balance of flora in the gut, while additives may increase inflammation, free radicals and neuron death, the study said. 'With a sample size exceeding 42,800 participants and a long follow-up period up to 26 years, this study stands out not only for its power but also for its methodological rigor,' wrote the authors of a corresponding editorial published with the study. The editorial was coauthored by Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, an associate professor of clinical neurology at Columbia University in New York City, and dietitian Maria Maraki, an assistant professor of sports medicine and exercise biology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. Neither were involved in the new research. 'The prevention of neurodegenerative diseases may begin at the dinner table,' they wrote. 'Excessive UPF consumption not only is a risk factor for metabolic diseases but may also accelerate neurodegenerative processes and associated symptoms.' In the new study, published Wednesday in the journal Neurology, researchers looked at the prodromal stage of Parkinson's disease — early signals that appear years to decades before the tremors, stiff muscles, slow gait and changes in posture that are hallmark symptoms of Parkinson's. Body pain, constipation, signs of depression, changes in the ability to smell or see colors, and excessive daytime sleepiness can all be early signs of Parkinson's disease, according to the Parkinson's Foundation. An extremely unusual sleep disorder, in which people can move during REM, or the rapid eye movement stage of sleep, is also a key early sign, according to research. The body is typically paralyzed during REM sleep so it cannot get up and act out any dreams. The study found that people who ate about 11 servings a day of ultraprocessed food — compared to people who only ate three — had a 2.5-fold greater likelihood of exhibiting three or more of the early signs of Parkinson's. In addition, eating more ultraprocessed foods was tied to an increased risk for nearly all symptoms except constipation, according to the study. This finding held true even after researchers accounted for other factors, such as age, physical activity and smoking, that might impact the results. 'Parkinson's is an incurable disease,' Gao said in an email. 'In our previous study based on the same populations used for the current analysis, we found that a healthy dietary pattern and physical activity could slow the disease progression. 'Choosing to eat fewer processed foods and more whole, nutritious foods could be a good strategy for maintaining brain health.' Sign up for CNN's Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life .
