Ultra-processed foods linked to early symptoms of Parkinson's

Over the last decade, researchers have found associations between ultra-processed foods and health conditions like heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, dementia, and some types of cancer.

- Alice Callahan

NEW YORK —

Now, they are adding Parkinson's disease to that list. In a study published recently in the journal Neurology, researchers from the United States and China reported that people who consumed a lot of ultra-processed foods were more likely to develop early signs of the disease than people who consumed less of them.

The finding is an association, not proof that ultra-processed foods cause Parkinson's disease, a progressive and incurable condition marked by tremors, muscle stiffness, and other symptoms.

But studies like this are critical for finding links between what people eat and neurological diseases, said Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell, a neurologist at the Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre at the University of British Columbia who was not involved with the study.

It is already established that what people eat plays a role in developing conditions such as heart disease, she said, but "we're doing a bit of catch-up" when it comes to how it affects brain health. "This is where we need to start," she added.

WHAT THE NEW STUDY FOUND

Ultra-processed foods and drinks are made with ingredients you would not typically find in a home kitchen. The category — which includes soda, processed meats, and many snack foods — accounts for more than half of the calories that adults in the U.S. consume.