A new study of the Brain Imaging shows how ultra-processed foods reform the appetite circuits, which expresses concern that these everyday products can re-up our eating habits from within.
Study: Ultra-processed food consumption influences the structural integrity of food-related brain areas independent of and via adipositas. Image Credit: Rimma Bondarenko / Shutterstock
A team of researchers from McGill University and the University of Helsinki analyzed the British biobank data and discovered that a high ultra-processed food intake is associated with adverse metabolic and adipping position profiles and changes in the microstructure of feed-related brain areas.
The research results are published in the magazine NPJ Metabolic Health and Disease.
Background
Ultra-processed foods are energy-rich products that can contribute up to 56% of the total calorie intake. Their consumption is rapidly increasing worldwide, mainly because of their convenience, affordability and taste.
High intake of ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of various non-transferable diseases, including cardiovascular, metabolic and cerebrovascular disorders. These foods are also associated with a higher risk of cognitive disorders (dementia).
Recent clinical evidence imposes a causal relationship between the availability of ultra-processed food, too much food and potential obesity. In this context, animal studies indicate that the impact of ultra-processed food on the food-related brain areas can lead to further over-consumption of these foods.
In the current study, researchers wanted to investigate whether ultra-processed food intake is changing structural brain integrity and whether these food products exercise their effects through obesity-related metabolic changes or by mechanisms that are independent of obesity.
Study design
The researchers analyzed data from 33,654 participants in the British Biobank, a large-scale database and research source that contains genetic, lifestyle and health data and biological samples of more than 500,000 people.
Study findings
The analysis of metabolic parameters showed that ultra-processed food intake can significantly reduce the blood mirrors of lipoprotein with high density (HDL) (HDL) and the blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP; a marker of inflammation), triglyceride and glycated) can.
With regard to heart and obesity markers, the analysis revealed that ultra-processed food intake can considerably lower blood pressure and increase the body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio and visceral fat tissue.
The analysis of the nutrient profile showed that these food products are associated with an increased consumption of total sugar, sodium and saturated fatty acids.
These observations jointly emphasize the association of ultra-processed food intake with a series of cardiometabolic, anthropometric and nutritional measures.
Impact of ultra-processed food intake on the brain structure
The analysis of the scans of the magnetic resonance image formation of the participants (MRI) showed that the intake of ultra-processed foods is associated with changed tissue microstructure in multiple brain areas (the Nucleus Accumbens, Hypothalamus, Pallidum, Putamen.
In particular, the study found signs of increased cellularity – interpreted as gliosis – in the hypothalamus, and diffusion MRI -Metrics suggested cellularity and increased extracellular space in the nucleus accumbens, putamen and pallidum.
In particular, the study showed that UPF intake was associated with increased CRP levels, reduced HDL levels and increased BMI, which could contribute to the observed changes in subcortical food-related brain structures or independently of these factors.
Study of interest
The study links a high ultra-processed food intake to changed metabolic markers, increased obesity and changes in brain areas involved in nutritional behavior through adipositas-related routes and independent mechanisms. For example, hypothalamic changes were mediated by BMI, while changes in the nucleus accumbens and pallidum occurred independently of adipositas and were partially linked to inflammation and dyslipidemia.
The study also suggests that the observed changes in brain structures can be driven by dyslipidemia, inflammation or adiposity caused by these food products. However, the papers notes that these effects were small.
The study also acknowledges that food additives in ultra-processed foods can change the composition of the intestinal microbiota, which contributes to immune regulation and systemic inflammation.
The observations of the study of structural changes in the brain suggest a reduction in the number of cell bodies and an increase in the volume of extracellular space, which are characteristic characteristics of a neurodegenerative process that can lead to neuro inflammation.
Researchers have said that neuro inflammation will probably play a role in ultra-processed changes-induced changes in eating behavior. They also mention the possibility of a bidirectional relationship in which the intake of ultra-processed food increases the desire to eat more such food by influencing the brain reward center (nucleus accumbens) by inflammation, independent of BMI.
Researchers have also emphasized the involvement of the Pallidum, another brain area associated with remuneration and motivation, in this bidirectional relationship, which according to them can lead to food -related decisions.
The fascinating findings of the study include structural changes in the amygdala and thalamus related to ultra-processed food intake. The Amygdala plays a crucial role in regulating nutritional behavior related to reward, and the thalamus is associated with emotional and motivated behavior, such as anxiety and the search for rewards.
Most studies that investigate the health effects of ultra-processed foods emphasize the contribution of nutritional factors, such as a low content of dietary fiber and a high saturated fat, sugar and sodium content.
The current study included specific nutrients (total sugar, saturated fat and sodium) in the primary analysis as confusing factors that are often linked to the prevalence of diseases and can influence eating behavior. The primary analysis was also checked for a large number of other confusing factors that can influence eating behavior.
That is why the research results are interpreted as independent of the content of nutrients, socio -economic status, physical activity and smoking and alcohol consumption. However, the causal association between ultra-processed food intake and structural changes in the brain cannot be determined because of the design of the observational study.