New Research Links Red Meat Intake to Higher Dementia Risk

For years, the relationship between red meat consumption and cognitive health has been a topic of debate, with previous studies offering inconsistent findings. Now, a large-scale study conducted across two major U.S. health cohorts sheds new light on this important connection, suggesting that higher red meat intake, especially processed varieties, may be linked to an increased risk of dementia and poorer cognitive function.

What the Study Explored

This prospective cohort study utilized data from two long-running nationwide studies in the United States: the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS). Researchers aimed to examine the association between red meat intake and several cognitive outcomes, including:

• Incident dementia cases: Tracking new diagnoses of dementia.
• Objective cognitive function: Assessed using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status in a subset of participants.
• Subjective cognitive decline (SCD): Self-reported concerns about memory or cognitive abilities.

Dietary habits were assessed using detailed food frequency questionnaires.

Key Findings: Processed Red Meat Shows Strongest Link

The study included a vast number of participants:

• Dementia analysis: 133,771 participants (65.4% female) with an average baseline age of 48.9 years.
• Objective cognitive function analysis: 17,458 female participants with an average baseline age of 74.3 years.
• Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) analysis: 43,966 participants (77.1% female) with an average baseline age of 77.9 years.

The results point to significant associations:

• Processed Red Meat and Dementia Risk: Participants consuming 0.25 servings or more of processed red meat per day (compared to less than 0.10 servings per day) had a 13% higher risk of dementia.
• Processed Red Meat and Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD): The same level of processed red meat intake was associated with a 14% higher risk of SCD.
• Accelerated Cognitive Aging: Higher processed red meat intake was linked to accelerated aging in global cognition (equivalent to 1.61 years older per 1 serving per day increment) and in verbal memory (1.69 years older per 1 serving per day increment).
• Unprocessed Red Meat and SCD: Even unprocessed red meat intake of 1.00 serving or more per day (compared to less than 0.50 servings per day) was associated with a 16% higher risk of SCD.

A Dietary Swap for Brain Health

The study also explored the potential benefits of dietary changes:

• Replacing Processed Red Meat: Replacing just 1 serving per day of processed red meat with nuts and legumes was associated with significant benefits:
  • 19% lower risk of dementia.
  • 1.37 fewer years of cognitive aging.
  • 21% lower risk of SCD.

Implications for Cognitive Health

These findings strongly suggest that higher intake of red meat, and particularly processed red meat, is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia and experiencing worse cognitive function.

The researchers propose that reducing red meat consumption could be a valuable component of dietary guidelines aimed at promoting cognitive health.

Next Steps

While this study provides compelling evidence, the authors note that further research is needed to assess how generalizable these findings are to populations with diverse ethnic backgrounds. The NHS and HPFS cohorts are predominantly white; therefore, understanding these associations in more varied populations is a crucial next step.

This research offers a powerful reminder that our dietary choices can have far-reaching impacts on our long-term brain health. Considering plant-based alternatives or reducing processed red meat intake might be a smart move for your cognitive future.

Long-Term Intake of Red Meat in Relation to Dementia Risk and Cognitive Function in US Adults

Yuhan Li, Yanping Li https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0412-2748, Xiao Gu, Yuxi Liu, Danyue Dong, Jae Hee Kang https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4812-0557, Molin Wang, Heather Eliassen, Walter C. Willett https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1458-7597, Meir J. Stampfer https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8865-935X, and Dong Wang https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0897-3048Authors Info & Affiliations

February 11, 2025 issue

104 (3)

https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.000000000021028