Eating ultra-processed foods can speed up Parkinson’s symptoms

By Stephen Beech

Eating bacon or cereals for breakfast may speed up early signs of Parkinson's disease, warns new research.

People who eat more ultra-processed foods - such as cold breakfast cereal, bacon and sausages - are more likely to show symptoms of the neurological disorder compared to those who eat very few, say scientists.

Ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, are ready-to-eat or heat industrial formulations made with ingredients extracted from foods or synthesized in labs, with little or no whole foods in their composition.

They are often high in added sugar, fat and salt, and low in protein and fiber.

Other examples include ham, burgers, ice cream, crisps, mass-produced bread, canned baked beans, biscuits, fizzy drinks, fruit-flavored yogurts, instant soups, and some alcoholic drinks, such as rum.

For the new study, Chinese researchers looked for signs of prodromal Parkinson’s disease, which is the earliest stage, when neurodegeneration begins, but more characteristic symptoms - such as tremors, balance problems and slow movement - have not yet begun.

The early symptoms can begin years or even decades before the typical symptoms start, according to the research published in the journal Neurology.

Study author Professor Xiang Gao, of Fudan University, Shanghai, said: "There's growing evidence that diet might influence the development of Parkinson's disease.

"Our research shows that eating too much processed food, like sugary sodas and packaged snacks, might be speeding up early signs of Parkinson's disease."

The study included 42,853 people, with an average age of 48, who did not have Parkinson’s disease at the start of the study, and were followed for up to 26 years.

Participants underwent regular medical exams and completed health questionnaires.

Researchers reviewed results to determine if they had early signs of Parkinson’s disease, including rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, constipation, depressive symptoms, body pain, impaired color vision, excessive daytime sleepiness and reduced ability to smell.

Participants also completed a food diary every two to four years, listing what they ate and how often.

Researchers looked at several types of ultra-processed foods, including sauces, spreads, or condiments; packaged sweets; snacks or desserts; artificially or sugar-sweetened drinks; animal-based products; yogurt or dairy-based desserts; and packaged savory snacks.

One serving was equivalent to a single can of pop, one ounce of potato chips, one slice of packaged cake, a single hot dog or one tablespoon of ketchup.

Researchers calculated how many UPFs participants ate on average per day.

They divided participants into five groups. The highest group ate 11 or more servings of UPF per day on average. The lowest group ate an average of fewer than three servings per day.

After adjusting for factors including age, physical activity and smoking, researchers found that participants who ate 11 or more servings of UPFs per day had a 2.5-fold higher likelihood of having three or more early signs of Parkinson’s disease compared to those consuming fewer than three servings per day.

When looking at individual early signs of Parkinson’s, researchers also found that eating more UPFs was tied to an increased risk for nearly all symptoms except constipation.

The researchers said that the study does not prove that eating more UPFs causes early signs of Parkinson’s disease, rather it only shows an association.

But Prof Gao said: “Choosing to eat fewer processed foods and more whole, nutritious foods could be a good strategy for maintaining brain health.

"Eating a healthy diet is crucial as it has been associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases and the dietary choices we make today can significantly influence our brain health in the future."

He added: “More studies are needed to confirm our finding that eating less processed food may slow down the earliest signs of Parkinson's disease.”