# Ultraprocessed Food Intake Linked to Subclinical Vascular Brain Injury in Canadian Study

- Published: 2026-11-08 00:37 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Medicine
- Tags: ultraprocessed foods, vascular brain injury, JAMA Network Open, covert brain infarcts, white matter hyperintensities, McMaster University, neuroimaging
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-01236864b5a221385fc7115f_ultraprocessed_food_intake/

**A cross-sectional analysis of 8,783 adults linked high consumption of ultraprocessed foods with 40% higher odds of subclinical brain vascular changes.**

![Ultraprocessed Food Intake Linked to Subclinical Vascular Brain Injury in Canadian Study](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/daef64e9fce4f175.jpg)
*Bobjgalindo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

In a cross-sectional study of 8,783 middle-aged Canadian adults without cardiovascular disease, researchers found that high consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) was significantly associated with markers of subclinical vascular brain injury (VBI) detected via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [1]. The findings, published in *JAMA Network Open*, were based on data from participants aged 35 to 69 years enrolled in the CAHHM and PURE-MIND cohorts led by investigators from McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences.

## Adiposity and Vascular Findings

Dietary intake was quantified as servings per 2000 kcal/d using validated food frequency questionnaires. Participants in the highest quartile of UPF consumption had a 40% higher odds of MRI-defined VBI—defined as covert brain infarcts or extensive white matter hyperintensities—compared with those in the lowest quartile (adjusted odds ratio, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.10–1.77; P for trend = .009) [1]. 

Higher UPF consumption was also correlated with elevated adiposity markers: participants in the highest quartile exhibited 1.7 percentage points higher body fat percentage and 5.7 mL greater visceral adipose tissue volume. However, hepatic fat fraction showed no significant differences between the consumption quartiles.

## Cognitive Tests and Study Limitations

Cognitive performance was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Digital Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). The researchers observed no statistically significant associations between UPF intake and performance on either cognitive test [1]. 

The authors noted that the cross-sectional design prevents establishing temporality or a direct causal link between industrial food processing and cerebral vascular damage. Furthermore, the statistical association with VBI was sensitive to the specific definitions used for UPF exposure, and the findings represent relative odds of subclinical MRI markers rather than an absolute incidence of clinical stroke.

## Sources

1. [JAMA Network Open](https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.39118)
2. [knowridge.com](https://knowridge.com/2026/11/ultra-processed-foods-may-harm-tiny-blood-vessels-in-the-brain)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-01236864b5a221385fc7115f_ultraprocessed_food_intake/