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A high intake of ultra-processed food during midlife significantly increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later on, according to a new study from the School of Public Health at the University of Haifa.
The researchers also found that consuming these foods may impair brain health and raise the risk of neurodegenerative disease, especially when such dietary patterns occur relatively early in life, long before any cognitive symptoms appear.
Ultra-processed food refers to industrial products made with a mix of natural and synthetic ingredients, including preservatives, artificial sweeteners, food dyes, and other additives designed to enhance flavor, ease preparation, and extend shelf life. These products have become a staple of the modern diet: In the U.S., for example, they make up about 60% of daily calorie intake. Recent studies have linked their consumption to obesity, diabetes, and early death, but their impact on brain health remains less well understood.
In the new study, published in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, Professor Galit Weinstein of the University of Haifa, along with a team of researchers from Boston University, sought to examine the connection between ultra-processed food intake and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
“Nutrition, especially in midlife, is an important factor in supporting brain health,” explains Prof. Weinstein, an epidemiologist who specializes in brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease. “We already know from past research that a Mediterranean diet, for instance, can help delay brain aging. On the flip side, a diet heavy in ultra-processed food may have the opposite effect—accelerating cognitive decline.”
Ultra-processed, ultra-risky
The research was based on data from the Framingham Heart Study, one of the world’s largest and most respected epidemiological studies. “This is data collected across three generations of residents in a small town near Boston,” says Weinstein. “They are healthy community members who undergo comprehensive medical follow-ups every few years.”
For this study, the researchers selected 1,375 cognitively healthy participants aged 60 and above who had not experienced dementia or stroke at the start of the study. They filled out detailed food questionnaires, from which researchers calculated their daily intake of ultra-processed food. The team also considered other health indicators such as body mass index, diabetes status, cholesterol levels, and overall diet quality according to the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) index.
Over an average follow-up period of 12.7 years, participants underwent cognitive tests, medical interviews, and professional evaluations to detect signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s. The findings revealed that among participants younger than 68 at the start of the study, each additional daily serving of ultra-processed food was linked to a 13% increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, participants who consumed 10 or more servings per day were 2.7 times more likely to develop the disease compared to those who consumed less. These differences remained regardless of overall calorie intake or diet quality.
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Prof. Weinstein emphasizes that dietary habits during midlife play a crucial role in disease development: “We’re looking at a long-term process, so it’s only natural to find a connection between poor diet in your 50s and 60s and a higher risk of Alzheimer’s later in life.”
Were you surprised by the results?
“Not really,” says Weinstein. “We already knew ultra-processed food is linked to numerous negative health effects, but these findings strengthen the case that brain health is also at risk—and that there’s real potential for prevention through dietary changes.”
Professor Galit WeinsteinPhoto: Adam IfraimovThe researchers stress that reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods—even starting in one’s 50s and 60s—could lower the risk of Alzheimer’s and support a healthier, more active brain in later life.
“It’s important to adopt healthy and balanced eating habits early on and reduce ultra-processed food intake as much as possible,” concludes Weinstein. “This change doesn’t just support overall health—it may be an effective strategy for preventing brain damage and maintaining cognitive function as we age.”