As a medical school professor, I'll say it plainly:
Ultra-processed food isn't "food." It's metabolic sabotage.

A new analysis of NHANES 2021–2023 data (4,787 U.S. adults) found the highest UPF intake was linked to 47% higher odds of having had a heart attack or stroke (after adjusting for age, smoking, income, and more).

UPFs now make up roughly 60% of the average adult diet (...
#metabolichealth #nutrition #cardiovascularhealth #insulinresistance #ultraprocessedfoods

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260210040602.htm

How ultra-processed foods affect our gut microbiome.

The additives added to processed food to keep it fresher for longer might be having an unexpected effect on the health of the microbes in our guts.

https://mediafaro.org/article/20260221-how-ultra-processed-foods-affect-our-gut-microbiome?mf_channel=mastodon&action=forward

#UltraprocessedFoods #Gut #Health #Microbiome #Bacteria #Biology #Food #UPF

The 15-year trend in adherence to dietary recommendations and ultra-processed food consumption in Italy

1 Introduction Diet quality indices are essential tools for evaluating dietary patterns…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Italiandiet #dietqualityindex #Italia #Italian #ItalianDiet #italiano #italy #Nutrientintake #temporalchanges #ultraprocessedfoods
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2517051/the-15-year-trend-in-adherence-to-dietary-recommendations-and-ultra-processed-food-consumption-in-italy/

The article describes a study linking high consumption of ultra-processed foods in early childhood to lower IQ scores at ages six to seven. The negative association was stronger among children who showed growth delays in infancy, and persisted after accounting for socioeconomic status and home stimulation. Possible mechanisms include gut-brain interactions and oxidative stress, though the study is observational.

This topic is of interest to psychology because it highlights how early nutrition can shape cognitive development and later school performance, illustrating the interaction between biological vulnerability and environmental exposure. It also raises considerations about confounding and cumulative disadvantage in developmental research.

Article Title: Ultra-processed foods in early childhood linked to lower IQ scores

Link to PsyPost Article: ift dot tt/L6k5CQE

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#NutritionAndCognition #EarlyChildhoodNutrition #UltraProcessedFoods #CognitiveDevelopment #PublicHealth