More than half of the calories consumed by young children in the US come from ultra-processed foods.
Now, a new study warns that these foods, including sugary cereals, packaged snacks, fast food and processed meats… may be linked to measurable differences in brain structure by age 6.
A team at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles followed 144 Latino and Hispanic mother-child pairs from infancy to age 6, tracking the children’s nutrition over time and using MRI scans to measure brain structure.
Results: For every 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake, brain volume in regions involved in reward, emotion and motivation was about 2% smaller.
Research has found no link between ultra-processed foods and cognitive performance. But researchers say changes in brain structure may precede changes in memory, thinking and behavior.
The senior author says, “…what babies eat early in life can shape brain development in ways we’re only now understanding.”
He says, “even without differences in cognitive function, we observe measurable changes in brain structure.”
More work is needed to understand what these structural differences mean for long-term health.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Author Affiliations: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, University of Georgia, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Keck School of Medicine at USC
