"There's growing evidence that diet might influence the development of Parkinson's disease," Gao continued. "Our research shows that eating too much processed food, like sugary sodas and packaged snacks, might be speeding up early signs of Parkinson's disease."

Eating too much ultra-processed food may “be speeding up early signs of Parkinson’s disease,” a new study finds. Researchers say people who consume high amounts of foods like hot dogs, breakfast cereals and sugary sodas are more likely to have signs of prodromal Parkinson’s disease

A new study did not prove that the foods caused the disease, but experts said it was a step toward understanding how food choices affect brain health.