A new study in the American Journal of Public Health followed more than 5,000 older adults across the United States from 2013 to 2020 and asked a simple, powerful question: does eating more ultra‑processed foods change the risk of later cognitive problems or dementia? Ultra‑processed foods are the highly industrial products that dominate modern grocery aisles—think sugary drinks, packaged snacks and sweets, frozen pizzas, and many ready‑to‑eat items that rely on additives to