NEW DELHI: People who eat processed red meat have a greater risk of developing cognitive decline and dementia than those who eat very little red meat, according to a new study.The study, published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, also said that replacing one daily serving of processed meat with a serving of nuts, legumes, fish, or chicken may help in lowering dementia risk by approximately 20 per cent.Red meat consumption is an established risk factor for chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and even cancers, like breast and prostate cancers.Now, the new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard found that eating greater quantities of red meat, especially in processed forms, like bacon, hot dogs and sausage, were found to be associated with a 13 per cent higher risk of dementia in participants followed for up to 43 years.“Dietary guidelines tend to focus on reducing risks of chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes, while cognitive health is less frequently discussed, despite being linked to these diseases,” said corresponding author Daniel Wang, MD, ScD, of the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham health care system.
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