“Processed meat increases risk of dementia”… Eat ‘this food’ instead for peace of mind

“Processed Meat Increases Risk of Dementia”… Eat ‘This Food’ Instead for Safety

Processed meat generally refers to processed red meat. Ham, baked goods, and sausages are typical examples of processed red meat. However, a new study has found that consuming large amounts of such processed meat increases the risk of developing dementia.

According to a research team at the Channing Department of Medicine, a network affiliated with Harvard University's Brigham and Women's Hospital, people who eat two servings of processed meat per week have a 14% increased risk of dementia compared to those who consume less than three servings per month.

The research team analyzed over 43 years of data from approximately 130,000 people in the long-term Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. In particular, the team investigated the association between red meat consumption and dementia.

The research team investigated how much and how often the subjects ate various foods, including processed meat, every two to four years through questions. A serving of food in the processed meat category was defined as bacon (2 pieces), hot dogs (1 piece), and sausages (56g or 2 pieces), and salami, bologna, or other processed meat sandwiches were also included in this category.

 

In addition, the research team set the standard serving size for other food categories as peanut butter (1 tablespoon), nuts such as peanuts and walnuts (28g), soy milk (about 230ml), string beans, soybeans or lentils, peas or lima beans (1/2 cup), and investigated the intake of nuts and legumes containing tofu or soy protein.

 

Processed meat increases the risk of dementia and accelerates cognitive aging

 

During the study period, 11,173 cases of dementia occurred. The study results showed that people who consumed more than one-quarter of a daily serving of processed meat had a 14% higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who consumed less than one-tenth daily.

The research team also investigated the cognitive aging of approximately 17,500 subjects. The results revealed that consuming additional processed meat daily was associated with an additional 1.6 years of aging in overall cognitive functions, including language, executive function, and mental processing.

However, there was a dietary change that could help prevent this cognitive decline. It was when processed meat was replaced with nuts and legumes.

 

 

 

Substituting with nuts and legumes reduces the risk

 

According to this study, consuming nuts or legumes instead of processed meat was associated with a 20% lower risk of developing dementia and 1.37 years less aging in overall cognitive function. However, since this study was designed to establish an association, it could not prove a causal relationship.

"Because research results regarding the relationship between cognitive decline and overall meat consumption have been mixed, we took a closer look at how different amounts of processed and unprocessed meat are affected cognitive risk and function," said researcher Yuhan Lee, who led this study. "As a result of studying people over a long period, we discovered that consuming processed red meat can be a significant risk factor for dementia."

 

 

 

Reporter Kwon Soon-il