Brazil Study Finds Ultraprocessed Toddler Diets Reduce IQ Scores at Age Six

Updated 2026-02-17 15:33:17+00:00 (2 articles)

Image: Newsweek

A toddler boy playing with a toy car and eating a cookie at home. Source Full size
Image: Newsweek

A toddler boy playing with a toy car and eating a cookie at home. Source Full size

Study Design and Cohort Details Researchers followed Brazil’s Pelotas Birth Cohort, tracking 2‑year‑old children’s food intake and later administering intelligence tests at ages six and seven, establishing a longitudinal link between early diet and cognitive outcomes [1].

Dietary Patterns Identified by Researchers Principal component analysis separated a “healthy” pattern (beans, fruits, vegetables, baby foods, natural juices) from an “unhealthy” pattern dominated by snacks, instant noodles, sweet biscuits, candies, soft drinks, sausages and processed meats [1].

IQ Impact After Adjusting for Confounders Children who consumed more ultraprocessed foods scored lower on IQ tests even after controlling for maternal education, socioeconomic status, family structure, breastfeeding duration, early education, and home stimulation; parental IQ was not measured [1].

Stronger Effects Among Growth‑Deficit Children The association intensified for toddlers who entered the study with low weight, height, or head circumference, suggesting cumulative disadvantage when early growth deficits coincide with an unhealthy diet [1].

Proposed Biological Mechanisms Authors cite existing research that ultraprocessed foods may trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut‑brain axis alterations, potentially impairing brain development, though these pathways were not directly tested in the study [1].

Sources

1.
Newsweek:Study Links Ultraprocessed Toddler Diets to Lower IQ Scores: Reports the Pelotas cohort analysis linking ultraprocessed food consumption at age two with reduced intelligence scores at ages six and seven, highlighting extensive statistical controls and hypothesized inflammation‑related mechanisms .
2026-02-17 15:33:17+00:00

Timeline

Jan 18, 2026 – Neurologist Dr. Fotuhi outlines an eight‑to‑twelve‑week, five‑step program to strengthen children’s brains, stating “the modern attention economy drives rapid, scrolling behavior in children” and warning that “ultra‑processed diets … can impair blood flow and increase inflammation” [2].

Jan – Mar 2026 – Parents who adopt Fotuhi’s regimen of stable sleep, nutritious meals, daily movement, structured routines, and cognitive training anticipate “meaningful improvements can appear within eight to twelve weeks” across academics, confidence, and family harmony [2].

Feb 17, 2026 – Researchers analyzing Brazil’s Pelotas Birth Cohort report that toddlers who consume more ultra‑processed foods score lower on IQ tests at ages six and seven, noting “ultraprocessed diets at age two linked to lower IQ” and that the effect is strongest among children who entered the study with low weight, height, or head circumference [1].