The consequences of ultra-processed foods on brain development during prenatal, adolescent and adult stages
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are highly refined formulations of non-nutritive compounds containing elevated amounts of sugar, fat, sodium, food additives, and dietary emulsifiers. Consumption of UPF is robustly linked to a range of non-communicable diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardi...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1590083/full |
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| author | Gaia Mottis Pratheba Kandasamey Pratheba Kandasamey Pratheba Kandasamey Daria Peleg-Raibstein Daria Peleg-Raibstein Daria Peleg-Raibstein Daria Peleg-Raibstein |
| author_facet | Gaia Mottis Pratheba Kandasamey Pratheba Kandasamey Pratheba Kandasamey Daria Peleg-Raibstein Daria Peleg-Raibstein Daria Peleg-Raibstein Daria Peleg-Raibstein |
| author_sort | Gaia Mottis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are highly refined formulations of non-nutritive compounds containing elevated amounts of sugar, fat, sodium, food additives, and dietary emulsifiers. Consumption of UPF is robustly linked to a range of non-communicable diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental disorders in adults. While substantial research highlights the negative health impacts of UPFs in adulthood, their effects on brain development during critical periods of biological vulnerability, pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence, remain underexplored. During pregnancy, significant metabolic and physiological adaptations occur to support fetal growth, making maternal diet quality essential for optimal perinatal outcomes. Poor maternal nutrition, including high UPF consumption, has been associated with an increased risk of hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, and adverse birth weights, potentially predisposing offspring to metabolic health disorders later in life. Similarly, in early childhood, inadequate nutrition is a key risk factor for developmental impairments, influencing cognitive function and long-term health outcomes. Adolescence, another critical stage of brain maturation, is particularly susceptible to the effects of micronutrient deficiencies, often exacerbated by diets high in UPFs, which can impair neurodevelopment and cognitive performance. As UPFs continue to dominate modern diets, accounting for over 50% of total energy intake in some developed nations, understanding their long-term impact on brain development is crucial. Early-life exposure to UPFs may contribute to lasting cognitive deficits and increased susceptibility to mental health disorders, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted dietary interventions and public health strategies aimed at pregnant women, children, and adolescents. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d3339a15add640c38dd66c18ffa4c2ac |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-d3339a15add640c38dd66c18ffa4c2ac2025-08-20T03:29:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-06-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15900831590083The consequences of ultra-processed foods on brain development during prenatal, adolescent and adult stagesGaia Mottis0Pratheba Kandasamey1Pratheba Kandasamey2Pratheba Kandasamey3Daria Peleg-Raibstein4Daria Peleg-Raibstein5Daria Peleg-Raibstein6Daria Peleg-Raibstein7Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandNeuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandUltra-processed foods (UPFs) are highly refined formulations of non-nutritive compounds containing elevated amounts of sugar, fat, sodium, food additives, and dietary emulsifiers. Consumption of UPF is robustly linked to a range of non-communicable diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental disorders in adults. While substantial research highlights the negative health impacts of UPFs in adulthood, their effects on brain development during critical periods of biological vulnerability, pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence, remain underexplored. During pregnancy, significant metabolic and physiological adaptations occur to support fetal growth, making maternal diet quality essential for optimal perinatal outcomes. Poor maternal nutrition, including high UPF consumption, has been associated with an increased risk of hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, and adverse birth weights, potentially predisposing offspring to metabolic health disorders later in life. Similarly, in early childhood, inadequate nutrition is a key risk factor for developmental impairments, influencing cognitive function and long-term health outcomes. Adolescence, another critical stage of brain maturation, is particularly susceptible to the effects of micronutrient deficiencies, often exacerbated by diets high in UPFs, which can impair neurodevelopment and cognitive performance. As UPFs continue to dominate modern diets, accounting for over 50% of total energy intake in some developed nations, understanding their long-term impact on brain development is crucial. Early-life exposure to UPFs may contribute to lasting cognitive deficits and increased susceptibility to mental health disorders, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted dietary interventions and public health strategies aimed at pregnant women, children, and adolescents.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1590083/fullultra processed foodmaternalnutritionoffspringcognitioneating behaviors |
| spellingShingle | Gaia Mottis Pratheba Kandasamey Pratheba Kandasamey Pratheba Kandasamey Daria Peleg-Raibstein Daria Peleg-Raibstein Daria Peleg-Raibstein Daria Peleg-Raibstein The consequences of ultra-processed foods on brain development during prenatal, adolescent and adult stages Frontiers in Public Health ultra processed food maternal nutrition offspring cognition eating behaviors |
| title | The consequences of ultra-processed foods on brain development during prenatal, adolescent and adult stages |
| title_full | The consequences of ultra-processed foods on brain development during prenatal, adolescent and adult stages |
| title_fullStr | The consequences of ultra-processed foods on brain development during prenatal, adolescent and adult stages |
| title_full_unstemmed | The consequences of ultra-processed foods on brain development during prenatal, adolescent and adult stages |
| title_short | The consequences of ultra-processed foods on brain development during prenatal, adolescent and adult stages |
| title_sort | consequences of ultra processed foods on brain development during prenatal adolescent and adult stages |
| topic | ultra processed food maternal nutrition offspring cognition eating behaviors |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1590083/full |
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