TY  - JOUR
AV  - public
TI  - Consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with cognitive status in elderly patients
UR  - http://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1839722
A1  - Grasso, Margherita
A1  - L?Episcopo, Francesca
A1  - Olvera-Moreira, Marco Antonio
A1  - Toscano, Giuseppe
A1  - Muratore, Stefano
A1  - Tripodi, Maria Angela
A1  - Musso, Sabrina
A1  - Bentivegna, Veronica
A1  - Costanzo, Lucrezia
A1  - Fatati, Giusi
A1  - Toral-Noristz, Melannie
A1  - Zambrano-Villacres, Raynier
A1  - León Brizuela, Lisandra
A1  - Ferri, Raffaele
A1  - Lanza, Giuseppe
A1  - Caraci, Filippo
SN  - 2296-861X
KW  - food processing
KW  -  inflammation
KW  -  mild cognitive impairment
KW  -  neuroinflammation
KW  -  ultraprocessed foods
VL  - 13
ID  - uninimx28589
JF  - Frontiers in Nutrition
N2  - Background: Emerging evidence suggests that there might be an association between excess consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) on cognitive health. UPF intake could promote systemic inflammation, oxidative stress phenomena, and metabolic dysregulation, contributing to neurodegeneration onset and cognitive decline in elderly population.Aim: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relation between UPF dietary pattern on MCI status in elderly patients taking into account the contribution of inflammatory markers.Design: The dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire in ninety-two participants. All reported food items were categorized according to the NOVA system, classifying foods on the basis of the extent and purpose of industrial processing. Plasmatic concentrations of TGF-?1 and TNF-? were measured by ELISA assay at the time of baseline neuropsychological evaluation. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were administered to evaluate the cognitive function in all participants. Non-parametric tests, correlation analysis, and logistic regression models were performed to assess the relations between variables of interest.Results: No significant associations were observed for unprocessed/minimally processed foods, culinary processed foods, or processed foods across the different regression models. In contrast, higher consumption of UPF was associated with increased odds of MCI (adjusted OR?=?4.24, 95% CI: 1.05?17.13). However, after additional adjustment for inflammatory biomarkers (TGF-? and TNF-?), the association was attenuated and no longer statistically significant (OR?=?4.79, 95% CI: 0.73?31.24), although the direction of the association remained positive.Conclusion: UPF consumption may be associated with increased likelihood of MCI, and inflammatory status may potentially play a role in this association.
Y1  - 2026/06//
ER  -