Ultra-processed food consumption and cognitive performance in young adults: associations with mental concentration...

To investigate the association between the intake of ultra-processed food (UPF) and short-term memory and mental concentration in young adults.

In this cross-sectional study, 416 university students aged 18-35 years were assessed. Dietary intake was collected using two non-consecutive 24-hour recalls and classified according to the NOVA system. The percentage of total energy derived from UPFs was modeled as a continuous variable (per 10% increment) using multivariable linear regression. Adjusted mean cognitive scores across tertiles of UPF intake were estimated using General Linear Models. Memory and concentration were evaluated using the Numerical Learning Test and the Toulouse-Pieron Test, respectively. Models were sequentially adjusted for sex, psychological variables, supplement use, caffeine intake, sleep duration, smoking status, and physical activity. Sensitivity analyses excluded participants with severe or extremely severe psychological distress.

Mean UPF intake accounted for 29.5% of total energy. In fully adjusted models, each 10% increase in UPF intake was associated with a 0.54-point lower memory score (p < 0.001). Participants in the highest tertile had lower adjusted mean memory scores than those in the lowest tertile (17.59 vs. 19.60; p = 0.001). For concentration, each 10% increment in UPF intake was associated with a 0.138-point decrease in score (p = 0.036), although tertile differences were not statistically significant after full adjustment. Sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings.

Higher UPF consumption was associated with poorer short-term memory and modestly lower concentration in young adults, suggesting a potential relationship between ultra-processed food intake and cognitive performance in early adulthood.