United States: In a recent large study, it is proven that red meat consumption leads to a potential risk of dementia.
The study tracked tens of thousands of people for more than 40 years. As per the US researcher, previous studies also proved the linkage of processed red meat with the chance of increasing the risk of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
More about the study
The study showcased that replacing processed red meat with a healthier choice of food such as nuts, beans, or tofu in their diet would lower the risk of dementia.
These findings are published at the Alzheimer’s Association international conference in the US, as the Guardian reported.
According to expert reports, the total number of those living with dementia across the globe has been predicted to be thrice in numbers, reaching 153 million by 2050.
Studies also noticed that diet and the risk of cognitive decline are increasingly becoming focal areas for several researchers.
How was the study conducted?
The new study in focus went through reading meat habits of one hundred and thirty thousand nurses and other health personnel in the US for fourty years.
The participants under consideration were observed to have processed red meat, such as bacon, salami, and other sandwich meat, a number of times.
Furthermore, they were also asked to switched to nuts and legumes, including walnuts, peanuts and other kinds of nuts, as well as string beans, beans, peas, soy milk, and tofu, as the Guardian reported.
During the study period, more than 11,000 dementia cases were reported among the participating individuals.
Findings of the study
The research suggested that eating two servings of processed red meat each week increases the risk of cognitive decline by 14 percent compared to eating three servings per month.
Moreover, the study also revealed that if one replaces one serving of processed red meat with a daily serving of nuts, beans, or tofu every day, it could potentially lower the risk of dementia by 23 percent.
What do the experts have to say?
As per the lead author of the study, Dr Yuhan Li, who is an assistant professor at the Brigham and Women’s hospital in Boston, “Study results have been mixed on whether there is a relationship between cognitive decline and meat consumption in general, so we took a closer look at how eating different amounts of both processed and unprocessed meat affects cognitive risk and function.”
“By studying people over a long period of time, we found that eating processed red meat could be a significant risk factor for dementia,” Li continued.
Li had conducted the while working at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston, who added, “Dietary guidelines could include recommendations limiting it to promote brain health,” as the Guardian reported.
“Processed red meat has also been shown to raise the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. It may affect the brain because it has high levels of harmful substances such as nitrites [preservatives] and sodium,” he continued.
Moreover, Dr Heather Snyder of the Alzheimer’s Association also mentioned that “Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and all other dementia is a major focus, and the Alzheimer’s Association has long encouraged eating a healthier diet – including foods that are less processed – because they’ve been associated with lower the risk of cognitive decline. This large, long-term study provides a specific example of one way to eat healthier.”
According to Dr Richard Oakley of the Alzheimer’s Society in the UK, “In this study, more people who ate processed red meat went on to develop dementia and had worse memory and thinking skills.”
However, he also emphasized that the research outcome of associating processed red meat with dementia cannot showcase the cause and effect entirely.
He added, “It’s important to remember that this doesn’t mean that eating processed red meat is directly related to developing dementia. It may be that people who avoid processed red meat are generally more health conscious and avoid other unhealthy habits that increase dementia risk.”