Scientists link fatty, sugary diets with impaired brain function
A new study from the University of Sydney has revealed a concerning link between high-fat, high-sugar (HFHS) diets and impaired brain function, particularly affecting spatial navigation skills that rely on the hippocampus.
Sydney: A new study from the University of Sydney has revealed a concerning link between high-fat, high-sugar (HFHS) diets and impaired brain function, particularly affecting spatial navigation skills that rely on the hippocampus.
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Diet and Brain Health: A Closer Look at the Hippocampus
The research, published in the International Journal of Obesity, focused on how diets high in refined sugars and saturated fats affect first-person spatial navigation — the brain’s ability to remember routes and navigate new environments. This skill is closely tied to the hippocampus, a critical region for memory and learning.
According to Dr Dominic Tran, who led the study, the damage caused by unhealthy diets appears to be concentrated in the hippocampus, rather than affecting the entire brain.
Study Design: Virtual Reality Maze and Diet Tracking
The study involved 55 university students aged 18 to 38. Participants completed dietary intake questionnaires focusing on their consumption of fatty and sugary foods. They also underwent a working memory test and had their Body Mass Index (BMI) recorded.
In the main experiment, participants navigated a virtual reality maze to find a treasure chest using environmental landmarks. The treasure’s location remained the same across six trials. If the treasure wasn’t found in under four minutes, participants were teleported to the correct spot and given 10 seconds to memorize the location before the next attempt.
Key Findings: Poor Diet Linked to Weaker Spatial Memory
Participants with lower intake of sugar and fat were significantly more accurate in finding the treasure chest than those with higher HFHS consumption. This difference remained even after researchers controlled for working memory and BMI.
Dr Tran noted that “participants’ sugar and fat intake was a reliable predictor of performance in the final test,” further cementing the relationship between diet and cognitive function.
Cognitive Effects Are Reversible, Say Researchers
One of the study’s most encouraging findings is that the cognitive impairments linked to poor diets may be reversible.
“Dietary changes can improve the health of the hippocampus,” said Dr Tran, “and therefore our ability to navigate our environment — such as when we’re exploring a new city or learning a new route home.”
Why This Matters: Brain Health at Every Age
While it’s well-established that unhealthy diets contribute to obesity, heart disease, and cancer, this study adds to the growing body of evidence showing that diet also plays a vital role in brain health — even in young adults.
“This research gives us evidence that diet is important for brain health in early adulthood, a period when cognitive function is usually intact,” Dr Tran concluded.
