M. Dinu et al. from the University of Florence in 2018 published an analysis of dozens of scientific publications about the Mediterranean diet, i.e. the diet characteristic of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean region. The final data reviewed in the paper included a survey of almost 13 million people. As it turned out, this diet significantly reduced the likelihood of overall mortality. In particular, cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, neurodegenerative diseases, as well as many forms of cancer and diabetes were less common among people subsisting on the Mediterranean diet.
R.J. Stevenson et al. of Macquarie University published a 2020 paper on the effect of fast food on the mental performance of students (in particular, on the function of the hippocampus). Participants in the study consisted of 110 healthy students who generally followed the guidelines of good nutrition. They were divided into two groups, one of which was asked to eat Belgian waffles and fast food for a week. It turned out that just one week of this kind of unhealthy diet led to an increased craving for foods high in sugar, even on a full stomach. The study’s main finding was that, along with the above, cognitive indicators for the fast-food group were significantly reduced.
K.D. Hall et al. of the National Institute for Diabetes, Gastrointestinal, and Kidney Diseases published a 2019 study on the impact of ultra-processed foods on weight gain. Twenty people (about 31 years old, with a stable and normal body mass index) were selected for the study. They were divided into two groups, which ate either ultra-processed food or unprocessed food for two weeks, respectively. Although the number of calories in both diets was the same, the first group gained almost a kilogram on average over two weeks, while the second lost the same amount.
J. House et al. of the University of Toronto published three studies on fast food consumption in 2014. First, the researchers found that the presence of fast-food restaurants in a neighborhood increases the chances of their being visited by the people living there. Secondly, it turned out that a fast-food diet inhibits the enjoyment of beautiful landscapes. Thirdly, even when listening to their favorite music, fast food consumers showed increased impatience, which was caused, among other things, by a distorted perception of time.