Study shows this everyday food could increase your risk of dementia by 44%
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Dementia is a broad term, described by symptoms associated with progressive decline in one’s mental abilities. The most widely recognised symptom is memory loss, and it can be extremely destabilising - for the victim, for the families, and for society at large.
That is why various research aims to shed light on the risk factors of dementia, as the illness is set to affect growing numbers of people in the next decade. One factor identified includes an everyday food item that may raise the chances of getting dementia by a whopping 44 per cent.
What we eat is a potential risk factor for dementia. Photo from HRC.
Scientists from the University’s Nutritional Epidemiology Group conducted a recent study that linked an everyday food item to an increase in brain decline risks.
They discovered that eating around 25 grams of processed meat - which is equivalent to one rasher of bacon - every day increases the risk of developing dementia by 44 per cent.
However, the study is not making you ditch processed meat altogether.
Findings also showed that consuming unprocessed red meat - beef, pork, or veal - could be protective. People who ate 50 grams of unprocessed red meat every day were observed to be less likely to develop dementia by 19 per cent.
“Worldwide, the prevalence of dementia is increasing and diet as a modifiable factor could play a role,” said lead researcher Huifeng Zhang, a PhD student from Leeds’ School of Food Science and Nutrition.
“We found processed meats were associated with an increased risk of dementia, but unprocessed red meat was related to a reduced risk of dementia, so we are assuming the subtype of meat is important.”
“Processed meat may be high in some bad components and salt. Also, during processing, some nutrients will be lost, and detrimental compounds will be produced, which may be bad for our brain,” he added.
Professor Janet Cade, who supervised the research, doesn’t want people to panic. Even if the causes of dementia are still unclear, they want people to educate themselves and be conscious of what they are eating.
“While we don’t want to be raising an alarm, we at least want to make people think that actually what we eat can affect us in all different ways. Although we’re not saying it causes anything here, it’s one extra piece in the jigsaw to say why we should eat more healthily,” she concluded.
Processed meats include hams, sausages, bacon, even meat pies, kebabs, and burgers. Photo from stocksolutions/Shutterstock.
There are different types of dementia and it can affect people differently. One might experience symptoms in their own way.
However, there are some common early symptoms that people can watch out for. These include:
That is why various research aims to shed light on the risk factors of dementia, as the illness is set to affect growing numbers of people in the next decade. One factor identified includes an everyday food item that may raise the chances of getting dementia by a whopping 44 per cent.
What we eat is a potential risk factor for dementia. Photo from HRC.
Scientists from the University’s Nutritional Epidemiology Group conducted a recent study that linked an everyday food item to an increase in brain decline risks.
They discovered that eating around 25 grams of processed meat - which is equivalent to one rasher of bacon - every day increases the risk of developing dementia by 44 per cent.
However, the study is not making you ditch processed meat altogether.
Findings also showed that consuming unprocessed red meat - beef, pork, or veal - could be protective. People who ate 50 grams of unprocessed red meat every day were observed to be less likely to develop dementia by 19 per cent.
“Worldwide, the prevalence of dementia is increasing and diet as a modifiable factor could play a role,” said lead researcher Huifeng Zhang, a PhD student from Leeds’ School of Food Science and Nutrition.
“We found processed meats were associated with an increased risk of dementia, but unprocessed red meat was related to a reduced risk of dementia, so we are assuming the subtype of meat is important.”
“Processed meat may be high in some bad components and salt. Also, during processing, some nutrients will be lost, and detrimental compounds will be produced, which may be bad for our brain,” he added.
Professor Janet Cade, who supervised the research, doesn’t want people to panic. Even if the causes of dementia are still unclear, they want people to educate themselves and be conscious of what they are eating.
“While we don’t want to be raising an alarm, we at least want to make people think that actually what we eat can affect us in all different ways. Although we’re not saying it causes anything here, it’s one extra piece in the jigsaw to say why we should eat more healthily,” she concluded.
Processed meats include hams, sausages, bacon, even meat pies, kebabs, and burgers. Photo from stocksolutions/Shutterstock.
There are different types of dementia and it can affect people differently. One might experience symptoms in their own way.
However, there are some common early symptoms that people can watch out for. These include:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Difficulty in carrying out daily tasks (such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping)
- Struggle in comprehending conversations
- Being confused about time and places
- Unpredictable changes in mood
