Ultra-processed foods cause poor health outcomes in Americans; researchers look at their link to cognitive decline

Regular servings of hot dogs drizzled with liquid cheese may
be linked to cognitive decline. (Adobe Stock photo)

A big old hot dog, fried salami and a heaping pile of bacon may sound delicious to many Americans, but emerging research shows Americans who regularly consume processed meats are more likely to develop dementia, report Dana G. Smith and Alice Callahan of The New York Times. Processed red meat, which falls under the umbrella of ultra-processed foods, is only one part of a larger dietary equation where the traditional American diet is linked to poor health outcomes and possibly cognitive decline.

The scientists who studied processed red meat consumption "tracked more than 130,000 adults in the U.S. for up to 43 years. During that period, 11,173 people developed dementia," Smith and Callahan explain. "Those who consumed about two servings of processed red meat per week had a 14% greater risk of developing dementia compared to those who ate fewer than three servings per month." Eating unprocessed meat did not "significantly increase the risk for dementia."

Ultra-processed food is often made with ingredients most Americans don't have in their kitchen cupboards. "Products like soy protein isolate, high fructose corn syrup, modified starches, flavorings or color additives," the Times reports. "Many of these foods also have high levels of sugar, fat or sodium, which have long been known to adversely affect health." Soda, breakfast cereals, flavored potato chips, white bread and energy drinks all fall are all ultra-processed, but they "account for about 58 percent of the calories consumed by both children and adults, on average."

As for ultra-processed foods causing dementia, a body of research is growing, which "shows an association between ultra-processed foods and brain health," Smith and Callahan write. "[The studies] cannot prove that the foods directly harm the brain. And not all studies have found a consistent link between ultra-processed food consumption and cognition." Dr. Dong Wang, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, told the Times, "You cannot conclude that if you eat a certain amount of processed red meat, you’ll definitely get dementia. That’s not the case.”

For most people, changing diet habits is process that takes time and patience; however, experts encourage people to move away from a diet dominated by ultra-processed foods. Dr. Karima Benameur, an associate professor at Emory University School of Medicine, told Smith and Callahan, "Even modest changes over time can have an impact, and that’s important because it means it’s achievable." The Times reports, "Rather than trying to eliminate all ultra-processed foods from your diet — what Dr. Benameur calls 'a recipe for failure' — focus on cutting back on some of the worst offenders and replacing them with healthier options."

Rural patients with early-onset Alzheimer's are less likely to get treatment from specialists, who can mitigate disease

Rural Americans with early-onset Alzheimer's disease are less likely to get specialized care, according to a newly published study.

"Ohio State University researchers found rural patients with the disease, which occurs between the ages of 30 and 65, were typically seen exclusively by a primary-care physician and were less likely to undergo testing that would help doctors manage the condition," Adam Barnes reports for The Hill. "Researchers noted that patients with early-onset Alzheimer’s make up only 6 percent of Alzheimer’s diagnoses, but they said this form of the condition is usually more aggressive and leads to accelerated cognitive decline."

Early diagnosis can help patients and families make financial arrangements, seek support, and make other plans to prepare for the progression of the disease, according to lead author Wendy Yi Xu. But the testing required to make such a diagnosis is often unavailable to patients exclusively treated by a family doctor.

Researchers "said treatments could also overburden rural health care systems that are already stretched too thin, adding 'community health care leaders and policymakers must explore innovative solutions to deliver needed specialty care to early-onset patients,'" Barnes reports.

New study says Alzheimer's deaths more common in rural U.S., especially in Southeast, and disparity is increasing

"Death rates from Alzheimer's disease are particularly high in the rural United States, a preliminary study finds, highlighting a need for health care resources in traditionally under-served areas," Amy Norton reports for HealthDay. In a study that has not been peer-reviewed, "Researchers discovered that over the past two decades, rural areas in the Southeast have seen the highest death rates from Alzheimer's, at 274 per 100,000 people. That's about twice the rate as seen in urban areas of the mid-Atlantic region, which had the lowest numbers."

Researchers studied data from the National Center for Health Statistics to compare deaths by region and urbanization. Overall, Alzheimer's deaths rose by 88 percent between 1999 and 2019, they found. "The Mid-Atlantic and New England regions maintained the lowest rates, while the Southeast had the highest for most of the study period. Big cities, meanwhile, had lower death rates than non-metropolitan areas," Norton reports. "Those disparities only increased over time, the study found."

The study didn't address the reasons for the trends, but lead researcher Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha of Emory University said some likely culprits include the higher likelihood of stroke and heart disease—both of which are risk factors for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia—as well as overall poorer health-care access, Norton reports. That can mean people are less likely to get early dementia screening or specialist care. He recommends more training for doctors and more resources for under-served communities.

The findings, which were presented this week at the Alzheimer's Association's annual meeting, are considered preliminary until published and peer-reviewed.

Study: rural neurologist shortage means less-specialized care for many patients; expanded telehealth could help

"A shortage of neurologists in rural parts of the United States means that people in those areas are less likely to receive specialized care for conditions such as stroke, dementia and back pain," Robert Preidt reports for HealthDay. That's according to a newly published study in the journal Neurology.

University of Michigan researchers reviewed one year of Medicare data and identified 2.1 million patients who visited a doctor for a neurological condition at least once during that time. Availability of neurologists ranged from a low of 10 for every 100,000 people to a high of 43 for every 100,000 people, Preidt reports.

"Overall, 24 percent of patients with a neurologic condition were seen by a neurologist, but rates varied from 21% in more rural areas to 27% in more urban areas with the most neurologists. Most of that difference involved patients with dementia, back pain and stroke," Preidt reports. "Among dementia patients, 38% of those in more rural areas saw a neurologist, compared to 47% in more urban areas. The rates for stroke patients were 21% and 31%, respectively." More than 80% of Parkinson's disease patients received care from a neurologist no matter where they lived, and the rate was similar for multiple sclerosis patients.

The study underlines the need to expand access to neurologists in rural areas, possibly through telehealth, said James Stevens, president of the American Academy of Neurology.