Reader: Is there a connection between ultra-processed food and our mental health?

Has a connection also been proven between ultra-processed food and our mental health?

Anonymous: There is a lot being written about ultra-processed food and its negative impact on the intestinal system and health in general, but has there also been a proven connection between ultra-processed food and our mental health?

Bente Klarlund Pedersen: If you consume large amounts of ultra-processed food, it affects appetite regulation, so you don’t feel full. If you look at the energy intake, measured in kcal per minute, it is significantly higher for ultra-processed food. This leads to an increased risk of severe obesity and thus type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These diseases increase the risk of dementia and perhaps also depression.