Science

Barbara R. Cardoso, Euridice Martinez Steele, Barbara Brayner, Xinyi Yuan, Lisa Bransby, Hannah Cummins, Yen Ying Lim, Priscila Machado

INTRODUCTION: Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption is linked to over 30 adverse health outcomes, including several risk factors for dementia such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. We aimed to examine the association of UPF consumption with cognitive performance and dementia risk scores, and whether these associations are independent of overall diet quality.

METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis assessed 2,192 Australian dementia-free adults aged 40–70 years. Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and classified according to the Nova system. Cognitive function was measured using the Cogstate Brief Battery, and dementia risk was estimated with the CAIDE tool.

RESULTS: Each 10% increase in UPF intake was associated with lower attention scores (−0.05 points) and higher dementia risk (+0.24 points), independent of Mediterranean diet adherence.

DISCUSSION: Higher UPF consumption is associated with poorer attention and increased modifiable dementia risk, independent of overall diet quality.