Each additional 3.5 ounces a day of ultra-processed food consumption was associated with a higher risk of a range of health issues.

"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."

Higher ultraprocessed food consumption also was associated with increased odds of individual prodromal Parkinson's features, including probable rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder, constipation, body pain, and depressive symptoms, Wang and colleagues reported in Neurology.