New research from Monash University, the University of São Paulo and Deakin University has shown that a diet high in processed foods can have a negative impact on the brain’s ability to concentrate and increase the risk of developing dementia.
The research announced today is Alzheimer’s disease and dementia: diagnosis, evaluation, and disease monitoringThe Alzheimer’s Society journal investigated the diet and cognitive health of more than 2,100 Australian middle-aged and older adults without dementia.
The results of this study show that small increases in daily intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are associated with measurable reductions in attention span, even when eating an otherwise healthy diet.
Lead author Dr Barbara Cardoso, from Monash University’s School of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Studies and the Victoria Heart Institute, said the study supports a clear link between industrial food manufacturing and cognitive decline.
To put our findings into perspective, a 10% increase in UPF is roughly equivalent to adding a standard bag of chips to your daily diet.
They found that for every 10% increase in the amount of ultra-processed foods a person consumed, there was a clear and measurable decrease in a person’s ability to concentrate.
In clinical terms, this led to consistently lower scores on standardized cognitive tests that measure visual attention and processing speed. ”
Dr Barbara Cardoso, Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences, Monash University and Victoria Heart Institute
Participants in the study consumed around 41 per cent of their daily energy from UPF, which is about the same as Australia’s national average of 42 per cent.
UPF includes everyday items such as soft drinks, packaged salty snacks, and ready-made meals. These are basically anything that is not fresh, whole foods.
Researchers say the degree of food processing plays a key role in the damage, as the negative effects of UPF occur regardless of a person’s overall diet quality, even in people who follow a healthy Mediterranean diet.
“Ultra-processing of food often destroys the natural structure of the food and introduces potentially harmful substances such as artificial additives and processing chemicals,” Dr. Cardoso said.
“These additives suggest that the relationship between diet and cognitive function goes beyond simply not consuming foods known to be healthy, and point to mechanisms related to the degree of food processing itself.”
Eating more UPF was associated with increased dementia risk factors, including health conditions such as high blood pressure and obesity, which can be actively managed to protect the brain.
Although this study did not find a direct link between UPF and memory loss, attention span is fundamental to many important brain functions, such as learning and problem solving.
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Reference magazines:
Brazil, Cardoso, others. (2026). Ultra-processed food intake, cognitive function, and dementia risk: A cross-sectional study of middle-aged and older Australian adults. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia: diagnosis, evaluation, and disease monitoring. DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70335. https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dad2.70335
