Industry Ties and Brain Risks: New Data Complicates the Ultraprocessed Food Debate
A new study finds that 91% of academic papers criticizing the NOVA food classification system have authors with financial ties to the food industry, raising concerns about biased scientific discourse. Simultaneously, a Canadian study links high consumption of ultraprocessed foods to a 40% increased risk of silent brain injuries in middle-aged adults, though it notes that cognitive tests showed no immediate decline. These findings occur as U.S. and Latin American policymakers struggle to define ultraprocessed foods for regulation, with industry groups arguing that current definitions are too broad and flawed.