Does red meat consumption increase risk of dementia?

Researchers have assessed whether consuming processed red meat may increase the risk of developing dementia and accelerate cognitive decline.

In a study, presented as an abstract at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2024, the researchers analyzed the data from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. They tracked more than 130,000 participants’ diets every two to four years using food frequency questionnaires.

After a follow-up period, the researchers identified 11,173 cases of dementia. Compared with those who consumed 0.10 servings of processed red meat per day, the participants who consumed 0.25 servings or more had a higher risk of developing dementia and experiencing accelerated cognitive aging.

The researchers noted that replacing processed red meat with nuts and legumes could help lower the risk of dementia and slow cognitive aging.

Read more: AAIC 2024 Press Release

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