Abstract INTRODUCTION Ultra‐processed food (UPF) consumption is linked to over 30 adverse health outcomes, including several risk factors for dementia such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. We aimed to examine the association of UPF consumption with cognitive performance and dementia risk scores, and whether these associations are independent of overall diet quality. METHODS This cross‐sectional analysis assessed 2,192 Australian dementia‐free adults aged 40–70 years. Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and classified according to the Nova system. Cognitive function was measured using the Cogstate Brief Battery, and dementia risk was estimated with the CAIDE tool. RESULTS Each 10% increase in UPF intake was associated with lower attention scores (−0.05 points) and higher dementia risk (+0.24 points), independent of Mediterranean diet adherence. DISCUSSION Higher UPF consumption is associated with poorer attention and increased modifiable dementia risk, independent of overall diet quality.
Cardoso et al. (Wed,) studied this question.