Many young children in the United States get a large share of their daily energy intake from ultra-processed foods.
These include sugary breakfast cereals, pre-packaged snacks, fast food, and processed meats, according to HealthDay.
In a new study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers followed 144 Hispanic mothers and their children from infancy until the children reached the age of six.
Throughout the study, they recorded the children's diets and examined their brains using MRI scans.
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No difference in learning
The study did not find that the children had poorer memory or performed worse on tests measuring their thinking skills.
According to HealthDay, the researchers found no link between the children's diets and their cognitive abilities.
However, the researchers believe that changes in the brain may occur before they become apparent in a child's behaviour or learning.
They therefore say that further research is needed.
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Changes in the brain
Children with a higher intake of ultra-processed foods had smaller brain volumes in regions involved in functions such as emotion, motivation, and reward.
According to the researchers, brain volume in these regions was nearly two percent smaller for every 10-percentage-point increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods.
The researchers emphasize that the study shows only an association.
It does not prove that ultra-processed foods cause these changes, and they therefore call for further studies.
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