BACKGROUND: There may be a direct association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, under the assumption that the high glycemic index of these food products could stimulate the entire chronic inflammation cascade, along with an indirect association mediated by obesity. The types of food consumed, including ultra-processed products, strongly influence obesity, and are also associated with higher serum CRP levels. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate whether the caloric contribution of ultra-processed foods to diet is associated with CRP levels, independent of body mass index (BMI). DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional analysis on the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) baseline cohort (2008)(2009)(2010). METHODS: Dietary information, obtained through a food frequency questionnaire, was used to estimate the percentage of energy contribution from ultra-processed food to individuals' total caloric intake. CRP levels were the response variable. Sex-specific associations were estimated using generalized linear models with gamma distribution and log-link function. RESULTS: Ultra-processed food accounted for 20% of total energy intake. Among men, after adjustments for sociodemographic characteristics, there was no association between ultra-processed food intake and CRP levels. Among women, after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, smoking and physical activity, the highest tercile of ultra-processed food intake was associated with mean CRP levels that were 14% higher (95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.24) than those of the lowest tercile. However, after considering BMI, this association lost statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the positive association of ultra-processed food consumption with CRP levels among women seems to be mediated by the presence of adiposity.

Diabetes has been associated with cognitive changes and an increased risk of vascular dementia andAlzheimer's disease, but it is unclear whether there are associations between diabetes and early alterations in cognitive performance. The present study consisted of a cross-section analysis of 14,444 participants aged 35-74 years and from a developing country at baseline in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil); these participants were recruited between 2008 and 2010. We investigated whether there was an association between diabetes and early changes in the cognitive performance of this Brazilian population. To assess cognitive domains, we used the word-list learning, word-list delayed recall and word recognition tests along. Phonemic verbal fluency tests included semantic phonemic test (animals) and a phonemic test (words beginning with the letter f). executive functions associated with attention, concentration and psychomotor speed were evaluated using the Trail Making Test B. The exposure variable in the study was defined as diabetes. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the association between diabetes and cognitive performance. the results were adjusted for age, sex, education, hypertension, coronary disease, depression, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and the cholesterol/HDL-C ratio. We found a significant association between diabetes and decreased memory, language and executive function (attention, concentration and psychomotor speed) performance in this population from a country with a distinct epidemiological profile, even after adjusting for the main intervening variables.The world population is ageing, and the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases associated with age is increasing. Diabetes mellitus (diabetes) has been associated with cognitive changes and an increased risk of vascular dementia 1 and Alzheimer's disease 2 . The number of people diagnosed with diabetes worldwide is approximately 422 million individuals 3 . Cognitive dysfunction in individuals with diabetes can result from interactions between inherent metabolic abnormalities, such as hyperglycaemia, hyperinsulinaemia, and micro-and macrovascular complications, in addition to hypertension, dyslipidaemia, depression and obesity 4-7 . The precise mechanisms involved in degenerative diseases in patients with diabetes are unknown and not fully understood; thus, they are considered quite complex and dynamic 8 .Some studies show a worse performance in cognitive tests among patients with diabetes than among individuals without diabetes, with deficits in several domains, especially executive function, memory, psychomotor speed and attention 9,10 . A systematic review that included case-control and population-based studies showed that the risk of overall cognitive dysfunction was increased in people with diabetes in five of seven cohorts. In addition, the association of decreased cognitive performance in one or more domains in was reported in 13 of the 20 cross-sectional studies and in five of t...

We found complex associations between coffee consumption, brain structure, and cognition. Higher coffee consumption was cross-sectionally associated with a lower occurrence of lacunar infarcts and better executive function, but also with smaller hippocampal volume and worse memory function.

BackgroundThe early exposure to poor social and nutritional conditions may influence cognitive function during adult age. However, the relative impact of these factors has not yet been established and they can vary during the course of life.MethodsAnalysis of data from 12,997 participants (35-64 years) of the baseline exams (2008-2010) of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), a cohort of Brazilian civil servants. Four cognitive tests were applied: learning, recall and word recognition; semantic and phonemic verbal fluency; trail-making test version B. The markers of early nutritional and social conditions were maternal educational level, birth weight, and length of trunk and leg. The presence of independent association between every early marker and the poor performance in each cognitive test was investigated by multiple logistic regression, after mutual adjustment and considering the effects of gender, age and participant’s schooling level. The cut off for poor performance was the worst age-specific percentile of the final score distribution for each test.ResultsAfter full adjustments, lower maternal education increased the chances of poor performance in all cognitive tests, with a dose-response gradient; low birth-weight was related to poor performance in the trail-making test B (OR = 1.63, 95% IC = 1.29-2.06); and greater trunk length decreased the chances of poor performance in the semantic and phonemic verbal fluency (OR = 0.96, 95% IC = 0.94-0.97) and in the trail-making test B (OR = 0.94, 95% IC = 0.92-0.95). Leg length was not associated with any of the tests examined. The associations found were not modified by the educational attainment of the participants.ConclusionsEarly exposure to adverse social and nutritional conditions appear detrimental to semantic memory, learning, concentration, executive control and language among adults, independent of adulthood educational achievement.