Consumption of ultra-processed food could put you at increased Parkinson's risk

Consumption of ultra-processed foods is a part of many individuals' diets across the globe. What many do not realise is the minimal nutritional value and the artificial additives that can be a reason for other chronic diseases. 

However, can the consumption of ultra-processed food increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease? In collaboration with Alberto Ascherio at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai, China had some interesting insights. 

"We do know a few things. We’ve previously found that caffeine intake is associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. There’s evidence that the Mediterranean diet, which is associated with a lower risk of many chronic diseases, might do the same for Parkinson’s, but it’s not as clear as with cardiovascular disease or diabetes. And we’ve seen that intake of flavonoids, which is a component of fruits and vegetables, also tends to be modestly associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s. I think we’re still missing something. In this study with ultra-processed food, though, we found much stronger signals than we’ve seen before," said  Alberto Ascherio. 

What is Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson’s disease is an age-related degenerative brain condition causing slowed movements, tremors, balance problems and more. Most cases happen for unknown reasons, but some are inherited. 

The researchers worked with the self-reported diet data from more than 40,000 health professionals, tracked since the mid-1980s. In the 2010s, the participants also answered questions about early nonmotor features associated with Parkinson’s.

Using the data,  the experts found that people who consumed about 11 servings of ultra-processed foods per day were 2.5 times more likely to develop early nonmotor features associated with Pakinson's, than people who consumed about two to three servings. 

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