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A new study conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston has found that consuming processed red meat may significantly increase the risk of dementia and cognitive decline.
The study, recently published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, tracked the dietary habits of over 133,000 participants in the United States for up to 43 years to analyse their risk of developing dementia.
Processed Meat and Brain Health
Previous research has already established connections between processed meat consumption and various health risks, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancers such as colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer. However, studies have also suggested a possible link between processed meats—such as hot dogs, sausages, salami, and bacon—and an increased risk of neurological conditions like dementia.
Now, scientists have added to this body of research by showing that individuals who regularly eat processed red meat face a greater risk of cognitive decline and dementia compared to those who consume little to no red meat.
“It is important for researchers to continue exploring how what we eat impacts brain health because diet is a modifiable risk factor that offers significant potential for dementia prevention and cognitive health improvement,” said Yuhan Li, MS, a research assistant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the first author of the study.
Higher Processed Meat Intake, Higher Dementia Risk
Researchers categorised participants into three groups based on their daily processed meat consumption:
- Low intake: Less than 0.10 servings per day
- Medium intake: 0.10 to 0.24 servings per day
- High intake: 0.25 or more servings per day
Upon analysis, they found that individuals in the high-consumption group had a 13% greater risk of developing dementia compared to those in the low-consumption group.
“This finding highlights the significant impact of dietary habits on brain health and suggests that processed red meat consumption is a modifiable risk factor for dementia. It supports broader public health efforts to promote healthier dietary patterns for cognitive health and disease prevention and contributes to the development of dietary guidelines,” Li explained.
Interestingly, the study also found that unprocessed red meat, such as beef, lamb, and pork, did not have the same association with dementia risk. Participants who ate different amounts of unprocessed red meat did not show significant differences in their likelihood of developing dementia.
Processed Meat and Subjective Cognitive Decline
The research also investigated how the consumption of processed meats impacted subjective cognitive function, which reflects how people assess their own cognitive health. The study found that individuals who consumed 0.25 or more servings of processed red meat per day were 14% more likely to report subjective cognitive decline.
“Similar to the dementia findings, this result of subjective cognitive decline also supports broader public health efforts to promote healthier dietary patterns for cognitive health and disease prevention and contributes to the development of dietary guidelines,” said Li.
Since subjective cognitive decline can serve as an early indicator of future cognitive impairment or dementia, researchers emphasised that dietary adjustments could help delay or prevent the onset of more severe cognitive conditions.
Healthier Protein Alternatives Reduce Risk
One of the study’s most notable findings was that replacing one daily serving of processed red meat with a healthier protein alternative significantly lowered dementia risk:
- Nuts and legumes → 19% lower risk
- Fish → 28% lower risk
- Chicken → 16% lower risk
“The findings for the substitution effect demonstrate the potential of dietary modifications to reduce dementia risk. This evidence can also guide dietary recommendations,” said Li.
Li emphasised the key takeaway from the study:
“The main takeaway from our study is that higher intake of red meat, particularly processed red meat, was associated with a higher risk of developing dementia and worse cognition. Replacing processed red meat with healthier options of protein sources could help to reduce this risk.”
How Diet Affects Cognitive Health
Neurologists and nutritionists agree that diet plays a crucial role in brain health. Dr. Jasmin Dao, a neurologist at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach, weighed in on the findings, emphasising the connection between diet and cognitive function.
“What we eat affects our brain’s cognitive processing — motor control, language, problem-solving — and memory,” Dao said. “Making good diet choices is an actionable way to improve our brain health and provide neuroprotection to the ageing brain.”
However, she noted that while the link between diet and dementia is becoming clearer, the exact mechanisms remain uncertain.
“Further research needs to be done to understand the diet and dementia connection. The mechanism of how certain foods interfere with brain health is still unclear. Various theories of the association between red meat consumption and dementia exist, such as damage to vascular health or brain cell injury, but no research has yet to find the direct link between food and cognition,” she explained.