Longevity & AgingUltra-Processed Foods Quietly Erode Attention Even in Otherwise Healthy Eaters
A new study from Monash University found that eating more ultra-processed foods — like chips, soft drinks, and ready-made meals — is linked to poorer attention and slower mental processing in middle-aged and older adults. Crucially, this cognitive impact showed up even in people who otherwise ate healthy diets, suggesting the problem lies in the processing itself, not just poor overall nutrition. Researchers also found higher ultra-processed food intake was tied to increased dementia risk factors like obesity and high blood pressure. Every 10 percent increase in ultra-processed food consumption — roughly one packet of chips per day — corresponded to a measurable drop in scores on standardized attention and processing speed tests.
