We all have a favorite meal that we can’t help but eat it daily. Whether it’s a breakfast ‘ritual’ or a post-launch treat, we keep choosing to eat it.
A recent study, however, found that eating a particular food may increase your risk of dementia. Should we worry?
Here is what you need to know.
Processed Meat: the Great Enemy
A team of researchers examined data based on 493,888 adults aged 40 to 69 to determine a possible link between red meat consumption and the risk of dementia.
The study includes information about every participant’s dining habits. They had to rank their meat intake from never to more than once daily.
The findings are genuinely intriguing.
Findings
Researchers followed the participants for 8 years. 2,896 people showed a cognitive decline. But how is this possible?
The participants ate 25gr of processed daily (approx. 2 strips of bacon) and were associated with a 44 % increased risk of dementia.
Unprocessed Red Meat Has Many Benefits
Of course, there are other types of meat consumption that shouldn’t worry us that much. For example, researchers discovered that people who consumed 50gr of unprocessed meat daily, including pork, beef, or veal, had a reduction in developing dementia of 19 %.
Researchers had also included those genetically predisposed to the risk of dementia, finding that people are actually 3 to 6 times likely to develop the condition no matter their eating patterns. Such a thing is quite concerning yet upsetting.
A Proper Diet Could Help Treat Dementia
Even if the findings are worrying enough, researchers concluded that only a proper diet could help treat dementia as it turns into a bigger global problem.
Huifeng Zhang, the lead researcher, and a Ph.D. student released a statement:
“Our research adds to the growing body of evidence linking processed meat consumption to increased risk of a range of non-transmissible diseases; […] the direction of effect is linked to current healthy eating guidelines.”
Remember that it is essential to discuss with a specialist what diet is best for you.
