A daily bowl of cereal may increase the risk of dementia.
Eating cereal could increase the risk of dementia
Scientists have discovered a link between a vitamin called Thiamine – found in popular types of the breakfast snack such as Cheerios and Shreddies – and cognitive decline, a precursor to the illness.
Not getting enough Thiamine has been linked to health problems but this is the first time that experts have linked having too much with harmful consequences.
The researchers said: "Thiamine deficiency may lead to an insufficient supply of energy to the neurons of the brain, which may impair cognitive function.
"Our study highlights the importance of maintaining optimal dietary thiamine intake levels in the general older population to prevent cognitive decline."
The scientists analysed data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, in which 3,100 people with an average age of 63 reported their diet and took cognitive tests four times from 1997 to 2006.
The team found that people who ingested between 0.6mg and 1mg of thiamine per day were at a low risk of developing dementia, whilst those whose intake exceeded 1mg fell 4.24 points on the global cognitive score, indicating that they had a higher chance of developing the degenerative brain condition.