Mass. doctor on new study linking cognitive decline to ‘ultraprocessed foods’
Mass. doctor on new study linking cognitive decline to ‘ultraprocessed foods’
Updated: 7:16 PM EDT May 24, 2024
5 AT 530. A NEW STUDY IS ONCE AGAIN RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS AND THE IMPACT ON OUR HEALTH THIS TIME, THAT THEY’RE LINKED TO A HIGHER RISK OF COGNITIVE DECLINE AND STROKE. AND HERE WITH SOME IMPORTANT INSIGHT, IS DOCTOR SCOTT HAVLIN, CHIEF OF YOUNG ADULT MEDICINE AT MASS GENERAL FOR CHILDREN, AND DOCTOR HAVLIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANKS FOR HAVING US TODAY. NOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT EXACTLY? WHAT DOES IT MEAN? YEAH, JENNIFER ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS ARE FOODS TO WHICH HAVE BEEN ADDED LOTS OF EXTRA SALT, SUGAR, FAT, PRESERVATIVES, LEAVES, DYES, ALL WITH AN INTEREST IN TRYING TO GET CONSUMERS TO LIKE THE LOOK AND LIKE THE FLAVOR OF THESE A LITTLE BIT MORE AND ALSO EXTEND THE SHELF LIFE OF THEM. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY’VE BEEN LINKED TO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT HEALTH PROBLEMS, AND SO WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEM. SO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOUR HOT DOGS OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. THINK ABOUT YOUR WHITE BUNS THAT YOU’RE EATING THEM IN YOUR POTATO CHIPS. THESE ARE ALL GOING TO BE HIGHLY ULTRA PROCESSED AND A WAY THAT YOU CAN TELL IF SOMETHING IS ULTRA PROCESSED IS TAKE A LOOK AT THE INGREDIENT LIST, AND IF YOU SEE A BIG LONG INGREDIENT LIST WITH LOTS OF THINGS YOU CAN’T PRONOUNCE, IT’S PROBABLY ULTRA PROCESSED RIGHT BEFORE THE COOKOUT. MAYBE THIS DOCTOR HAD LYNN OKAY, BUT BUT BUT LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. OKAY, SO THE STUDY FOUND A 10% INCREASE IN THOSE FOODS THAT THOSE IF YOU EAT 10% MORE, THOSE INCREASED YOUR RISK OF COGNITIVE ISSUES BY 16%. RESEARCHERS, THEY FOCUSED ON ADULTS. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE IMPACT ON KIDS? KIDS, YOU KNOW, KIDS LOVE THOSE FOODS, RIGHT? SO I’M A PEDIATRICIAN AND A DAD, AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, MY KIDS EAT FISH STICKS. AND SOME OF THIS STUFF. SO I’M NOT INNOCENT HERE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THESE STUDIES, THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT, ESPECIALLY IN KIDS, THESE ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS ARE LINKED TO RISK FOR DIABETES, OBESITY, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. AND THAT’S IN THE SHORT TERM. AND THEN IN THE LONG TERM, AS THESE ISSUES MOUNT, THEY’RE LINKED TO HEART ATTACK, STROKE, CERTAIN TYPES OF CANCER AND THEN COGNITIVE DECLINE AS THIS STUDY SHOWED. YEAH OKAY. AND OF COURSE BALANCE IS KEY HERE. RIGHT. LIKE YOU CAN’T JUST NOT HAVE SOME THINGS. YOU KNOW THAT KIDS LOVE AT HOME. BUT WHAT CAN PARENTS DO TO IMPROVE THEIR DIETS TO PREVENT THESE THESE RISKS? WELL, YOU DON’T HAVE TO THROW EVERYTHING AWAY, RIGHT? WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU’VE GOT AT HOME AND WHAT’S ON YOUR SHOPPING LIST. AND SO THE FIRST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE INGREDIENT LISTS AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHICH FOODS MIGHT BE ULTRA PROCESSED AND THEN THE NEXT THING YOU WANT TO DO IS TRY TO FIND SOME ALTERNATIVE THAT HAVE FEWER OF THESE ADDITIVES. AND ACTUALLY A GREAT TOOL THAT I RECOMMEND IS A TOOL CALLED TRUE FOOD. IT’S AN ONLINE SEARCHABLE DATABASE ACTUALLY MADE HERE IN BOSTON BY RESEARCHERS AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY AND WHAT YOU CAN DO IS LOOK UP FAMILIAR STORE BRANDS THAT YOU MIGHT BE BUYING AND LOOK TO SEE WHETHER THEY’RE ULTRA PROCESSED. THIS DATABASE ACTUALLY ASSIGNS FOODS A SCORE TO LET YOU KNOW JUST HOW PROCESSED IT IS. AND SO YOU CAN LOOK THERE TO TRY TO FIND HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES TO FOODS THAT YOU MIGHT BE BUYING. AND SO YOU KNOW, HEADING INTO THE SUMMER, TAKE A LOOK AND SEE IF YOU CAN MAKE SOME REPLACEMENTS. OH BOY, I’M AFRAID OF WHAT I’LL FIND USING THAT TOOL. BUT IT’S A THAT’S A GREAT IDEA. THANK YOU, DOCTOR SCOTT HADLAND
Mass. doctor on new study linking cognitive decline to ‘ultraprocessed foods’
Updated: 7:16 PM EDT May 24, 2024
A new study is once again raising questions about ultra processed foods and its link to a higher risk of cognitive decline and stroke.
A new study is once again raising questions about ultra processed foods and its link to a higher risk of cognitive decline and stroke.
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