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Brazil Study: Sweeteners Speed Cognitive Aging 1.6 Years

7/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers in Brazil found that the highest sweetener consumers showed cognitive decline equivalent to about 1.6 extra years of aging.
The eight-year study followed 12,772 adults with an average age of 52.
The link was strongest among participants younger than 60 and among those with diabetes.
Researchers cautioned that the observational design, self-reported diet data, and exclusion of some sweeteners limit causal conclusions.

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Story summary

Researchers in Brazil found that the highest sweetener consumers showed cognitive decline equivalent to about 1.6 extra years of aging.
The eight-year study followed 12,772 adults with an average age of 52.
The link was strongest among participants younger than 60 and among those with diabetes.
Researchers cautioned that the observational design, self-reported diet data, and exclusion of some sweeteners limit causal conclusions.