Two separate bodies of published research have reported associations between ultra-processed food consumption and adverse mental and cognitive health outcomes. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry in September found that reducing ultra-processed food intake may improve depression symptoms^[1]. This finding aligned with an earlier trial published in the same journal in September 2025, which also observed an association between reduced ultra-processed food intake and improved depression outcomes in trial participants^[2]. On 26 October 2026, a paper published in the American Journal of Public Health found higher ultra-processed food intake correlates with elevated cognitive impairment and dementia risk in older US adults^[3]. Independent dietitian Michelle Routhenstein has stated that processing is not inherently negative. Many nutritious foods undergo some processing, Routhenstein noted^[4].