Doctors have sent an urgent warning over a popular choice of food that is now being linked to the development of Parkinson's disease.
An estimated 10 million people are living with Parkinson's disease worldwide, and that is expected to rise to 20 million by 2050.
Some 90,000 new cases of the disease, which happens when parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, are diagnosed in America every single year.
And now, a new study has found that people who eat 11 or more servings of a certain type of food per day are 2.5 times more likely to develop the devastating disease at some point during their lives.
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The risks of ultra-processed foods
A single serving equated to eight ounces of diet or sugar-sweetened soda, a single hot dog, one slice of packaged cake, a tablespoon of ketchup or even one ounce of potato chips.
Dr. Xiang Gao, a senior author on the study and professor at the Institute of Nutrition at Fudan University in Shanghai, said: "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."
Basically, the study looked at years of health and diet data on close to 43,000 participants, with the average age of patients being 48 and none having Parkinson's at the beginning of the study.
The study immediately found a link between the early signs of Parkinson's disease and ultra-processed foods, with the exception being bread and cereal.
Which ultra-processed foods are the highest risk?
Scientists believe added sugar, salt, and saturated fats could be contributing towards the data, an underlying feature in most of the ultra-processed foods used in the study.
"With a sample size exceeding 42,800 participants and a long follow-up period up to 26 years, this study stands out not only for its power but also for its methodological rigor," authors wrote.
Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, an associate professor of clinical neurology at Columbia University, was able to provide an outside opinion from someone who was not directly involved in the study.
Alongside dietitian Maria Maraki, they wrote: "The prevention of neurodegenerative diseases may begin at the dinner table. Excessive UPF consumption not only is a risk factor for metabolic diseases but may also accelerate neurodegenerative processes and associated symptoms."
What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease?
The symptoms of Parkinson's disease typically develop gradually and are mild at first - but that doesn't mean there are some early signs to keep in mind of.
Some of the main symptoms impact physical movement, including a tremor, slowness of movement and muscle stiffness.
Meanwhile, other symptoms include balance problems, nerve pain and loss of smell.
Topics: Food and Drink, Health
Callum Jones