Eating processed red meat could increase risk of dementia, study finds

A big study that followed over 100,000 people for four decades found that eating processed red meat may be a substantial risk factor for dementia.

It has already been demonstrated that processed red meat raises the risk of heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. According to US experts, they may have found a connection to dementia.

The study also discovered that consuming more nutritious meals like tofu, lentils, or nuts in place of processed red meat may help lower the risk of dementia. The results were given during the worldwide meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association held in the United States.

As the number of dementia patients worldwide is expected to almost quadruple to 153 million by 2050, experts are focusing their attention on studies examining the relationship between food and cognitive decline risk.

Experts examined the health of 130,000 nurses and other healthcare professionals employed in the US in the most recent study. Every two to five years, they submitted dietary data during their 43-year observation period.

The frequency of consumption of processed red meat, such as bacon, hotdogs, sausages, salami, and other sandwich meats, was inquired about from the participants.

They were also questioned regarding the amount of nuts and legumes they consumed, such as tofu, soy milk, string beans, beans, peas, and walnuts in addition to peanut butter.

Over 11,000 dementia cases were found over the course of the follow-up.

According to the study, consuming two portions of processed red meat per week seemed to increase the chance of cognitive deterioration by 14% when compared to eating roughly three servings per month.

Additionally, the study found that a daily dose of tofu, beans, or nuts could reduce the incidence of dementia by 23% when compared to a daily serving of processed red meat.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Yuhan Li, an assistant professor at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, stated: “We looked more closely at how eating different amounts of both processed and unprocessed meat affects cognitive risk and function because study results have been mixed on whether there is a relationship between cognitive decline and meat consumption in general.

“We found that eating processed red meat could be a significant risk factor for dementia by studying people over a long period of time.”

Li, who carried out the research while working at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public function in Boston, continued, saying that dietary guidelines might suggest restricting it in order to support brain function.

It has also been demonstrated that processed red meat increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Because of its high concentration of dangerous ingredients like salt and nitrites (preservatives), it might have an impact on the brain.

“Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and all other dementia is a major focus,” stated Dr. Heather Snyder of the Alzheimer’s Association. “Eating a healthier diet, including foods that are less processed, has been associated with lower the risk of cognitive decline,” she continued. This extensive, protracted study offers a particular illustration of one approach to eating healthfully.

“In this study, more people who ate processed red meat went on to develop dementia and had worse memory and thinking skills,” stated Dr. Richard Oakley of the Alzheimer’s Society in the UK.

He did, however, advise caution because the study did not establish a direct causal relationship between processed red meat and dementia; rather, it just identified an association.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that this does not imply a causal link between dementia and processed red meat consumption. It’s possible that those who abstain from processed red meat are also more likely to be health-conscious and to abstain from other bad habits that raise the risk of dementia.