"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."

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

Researchers found that consumption of ultra-processed foods was linked with correlating levels of high blood pressure and cholesterol, and was not affected by an individual's age, size and level of activity.