Study Suggests Toddlers’ Ultra-Processed Diets at Age Two Linked to Lower IQ

Published in the British Journal of Nutrition, this study draws on data sourced from southern Brazil. Carried out by researchers from the University of Illinois and the Federal University of Pelotas, the analysis examines the diets of thousands of children from birth. Its findings indicate that unhealthy dietary patterns are associated with poorer cognitive performance in early school years.

In reaching this conclusion, the researchers considered numerous potential confounding factors, including maternal education, socioeconomic status, home stimulation, preschool attendance, breastfeeding duration, and timing of food introduction. Significantly, the negative association between unhealthy diets and IQ was strongest among children who had early-life deficits in growth indicators such as weight, height, and head circumference. This suggests a pattern of cumulative disadvantage in which biological vulnerability and poor diet quality compound one another.

While conducted in Brazil, the findings seem likely to have worldwide relevance given the global rise in ultra-processed food consumption during early childhood. The researchers argue that their results underscore the need for stronger public health efforts to limit toddlers’ exposure to ultra-processed foods, particularly during the critical first years of life when brain development is highly sensitive to environmental influences.

To learn more about the dangers of ultra-processed foods, see this article on our website.