Skip to main content

Eating Processed Meat Could Increase Dementia Risk, Researchers Say

 

fort lauderdale personal chef

Date:
March 21, 2021
Source:
University of Leeds
Summary:
Eating processed meat has been linked with an increased risk of developing dementia, say researchers exploring a potential link between consumption of meat and development of dementia.

Scientists from the University's Nutritional Epidemiology Group used data from 500,000 people, discovering that consuming a 25g serving of processed meat a day, the equivalent to one rasher of bacon, is associated with a 44% increased risk of developing the disease.

But their findings also show eating some unprocessed red meat, such as beef, pork or veal, could be protective, as people who consumed 50g a day were 19% less likely to develop dementia. 

The researchers were exploring whether there is a link between consumption of meat and development of dementia, a health condition which affects 5%-8% of over 60s worldwide.

Their results, titled Meat consumption and risk of incident dementia: cohort study of 493,888 UK Biobank participants, are published today in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Lead researcher Huifeng Zhang, a PhD student from Leeds' School of Food Science and Nutrition, said: "Worldwide, the prevalence of dementia is increasing and diet as a modifiable factor could play a role.

"Our research adds to the growing body of evidence linking processed meat consumption to increased risk of a range of non-transmissible diseases." 

The research was supervised by Professors Janet Cade and Laura Hardie, both at Leeds.

The team studied data provided by UK Biobank, a database containing in-depth genetic and health information from half a million UK participants aged 40 to 69, to investigate associations between consuming different types of meat and risk of developing dementia.  

The data included how often participants consumed different kinds of meat, with six options from never to once or more daily, collected in 2006-2010 by the UK Biobank. The study did not specifically assess the impact of a vegetarian or vegan diet on dementia risk, but it included data from people who said they did not eat red meat. 

Among the participants, 2,896 cases of dementia emerged over an average of eight years of follow up. These people were generally older, more economically deprived, less educated, more likely to smoke, less physically active, more likely to have stroke history and family dementia history, and more likely to be carriers of a gene which is highly associated with dementia. More men than women were diagnosed with dementia in the study population.  

Some people were three to six times more likely to develop dementia due to well established genetic factors, but the findings suggest the risks from eating processed meat were the same whether or not a person was genetically predisposed to developing the disease. 

Those who consumed higher amounts of processed meat were more likely to be male, less educated, smokers, overweight or obese, had lower intakes of vegetables and fruits, and had higher intakes of energy, protein, and fat (including saturated fat). 

Meat consumption has previously been associated with dementia risk, but this is believed to be the first large-scale study of participants over time to examine a link between specific meat types and amounts, and the risk of developing the disease. 

There are around 50 million dementia cases globally, with around 10 million new cases diagnosed every year. Alzheimer's Disease makes up 50% to 70% of cases, and vascular dementia around 25%. Its development and progression are associated with both genetic and environmental factors, including diet and lifestyle.  

Ms Zhang said: "Further confirmation is needed, but the direction of effect is linked to current healthy eating guidelines suggesting lower intakes of unprocessed red meat could be beneficial for health."

Professor Cade said: "Anything we can do to explore potential risk factors for dementia may help us to reduce rates of this debilitating condition. This analysis is a first step towards understanding whether what we eat could influence that risk."


Story Source:

Materials provided by University of LeedsNote: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Huifeng Zhang, Darren C Greenwood, Harvey A Risch, David Bunce, Laura J Hardie, Janet E Cade. Meat consumption and risk of incident dementia: cohort study of 493,888 UK Biobank participantsThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2021; DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab028

Cite This Page:

University of Leeds. "Eating processed meat could increase dementia risk, researchers say." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 March 2021. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210321215434.htm>.


personal chefs and event catering
Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach
info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232)


Popular posts from this blog

Kids Cooking Class - Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami

YaDa Chef's cooking school JUST for kids! Teaching children of all ages that cooking can be creative, full of discovery, and a lot of fun!  YaDa Chef provides hands-on cooking classes allowing kid's imaginations to run wild and free while discovering new science, math, reading, health and social skills. YaDa Chef offers a unique culinary experience offering cooking classes to children in an environment that encourages discover and creativity.  Each class is a new experience.  Themes chosen, either our one of YaDa Chef's chefs, by the child or parent assist in sharpening skills and taking the mystery out of the kitchen.  Removing the fear of the unknown while incorporating subject matter which ties into each theme. Our highly qualified chefs, in coordination of nutritional experts carry out a mission to provide an interactive learning experience giving children the opportunity to develop a life-long love of the culinary arts. Each class is designed to fa...

Do you Remember Herman? Sourdough Starter and Recipe

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Amish friendship bread, as well as an interchangeable starter referred to as Herman (the name varies), became a popular exchange among friends who shared the starter as well as recipes. Herman Starter Preparation time: 10 minutes Standing time: 5 days Yield: 4 cups 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup warm water 2 packages (2 1/4 teaspoons each) active dry yeast 2 cups each: milk, flour 1. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar over the warm water. Sprinkle yeast over mixture; set aside until doubled in volume, about 10 minutes. 2. Combine milk, flour, remaining sugar and yeast mixture in a plastic or glass container. (Do not use metal.) Stir with a wooden spoon; cover loosely. Set aside at room temperature, at least 8 hours. 3. Stir mixture once a day for three days. On the fourth day, measure out 1 cup of Herman for baking; measure 1 additional cup to give to a friend as a gift. To replenish starter: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk and 1...

The History Of Mustard

Mustard was around thousands of years before Grey Poupon BY  PEGGY TROWBRIDGE FILIPPONE Mustard, a member of the Brassica family of plants, bears tiny round edible seeds and tasty leaves. Its English name, mustard ,  is derived from a contraction of the Latin  mustum ardens  meaning "burning must ."  This is a reference to the spicy heat of the crushed  mustard seeds  and the French practice of mixing the ground seeds with  must,  the young, unfermented juice of wine grapes. The condiment mustard is made from the seeds of the mustard plant. The seeds aren't flavorful until they are cracked, after which they are mixed with a liquid to become prepared mustard. The culinary history of mustard as a condiment is extensive. History of Mustard as a Condiment As a condiment, mustard is ancient. Prepared mustard dates back thousands of years to the early Romans, who used to grind mustard seeds and mix them with wine into a past...

Pitted vs Unpitted Olives — Which Are Better?

Q. Are there any differences in flavor or texture among pitted and unpitted brine-cured  olives? A. To evaluate any differences between pitted and unpitted olives, we gathered both green and black brine-cured olives from deli sections at supermarkets, as well as olives packed in plastic and glass containers. After tasting many samples, it became clear that the pitted olives suffered on two counts: they tasted saltier and their flesh was mushier. They also lacked the complex, fruity flavors of the unpitted kind. Here's why: Before being packed for sale, fresh-picked olives are soaked in brine for periods of up to a year to remove bitterness and develop flavor. Once pitted, the olives are returned to the brine for packing, which can penetrate the inside of the olive and turn it mushy and pasty, as well as increase the absorption of salt. That saltier taste can mask subtler flavors. If you have the time, it makes sense to buy unpitted olives and pit them yourself...

Raspberry Tart Recipe

To make sure the pastry stays crisp and flaky, arrange the raspberries on top no more than 30 minutes before serving. The jam not only sets the berries in place, it also adds flavor intensity and gives them a beautiful shine. PUFF PASTRY 3 cups/375g chilled all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 sticks (3/4 pound/340g) unsalted butter, thinly sliced and chilled 1/4 teaspoon/2ml fresh lemon juice About 1 cup/250ml cold water 1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon/15ml water 1/4 cup/285ml plus 3 tablespoons/45ml seedless raspberry jam 1 1/2 pints/225g fresh raspberries Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche (optional), for serving The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 4 months. TART In a chilled bowl, whisk the flour with the salt. Scatter the butter over the flour. Add the lemon juice and 1 cup of cold water and stir with a wooden spoon just until the flour is moistened; add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water if...

Homemade Turkey Ham Recipe

Making your own cured turkey “ham”, is not only healthier, but in our opinion much tastier.  It will be much lower in sodium and be preservative free.  You are going to use turkey in 3 different forms. Cubed, minced and pureed.  This will give it a more “ham” like texture. Start with 2 pounds 10.5 ounces of skin off deboned turkey thigh meat Cubed Turkey 14 ounces/400 grams turkey meat, cut into cubes  1 teaspoon/4 grams salt 1/4  teaspoon/1 grams curing salt Minced/Ground Turkey (if you use pre minced make sure it’s thigh meat) 14 ounces/400 grams turkey meat 1 teaspoon/4 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon/2 grams curing salt  2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons/40mls water For The Puree 10.5 ounces/300 grams turkey meat 4 teaspoons/20mls water 1/2 teaspoon/2mls garlic powder   1 teaspoon/4 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon/2 grams curing salt  1 large egg white 2 teaspoons/10ml liquid smoke 1/2 tablespoon/2 grams smoked paprika  Trim the turkey if not trimmed alread...

Watermelon and Feta Summer Salad Recipe

Watermelon and Feta Summer Salad Recipe 1 pound/450g watermelon, rind removed and cut into bite sized pieces 1/4 pound/115g feta cheese crumbled 16 sage leaves, chopped 1 teaspoon/5ml fresh ground pepper In a large bowl place watermelon, feta cheese, chopped sage and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Serve immediately. Your ingredients and the benefits: Most people do not put watermelon and salad in the same sentence . In the food world it is not unheard of. Indeed it is really nothing new. Many of the watermelon salads I have had included mint, and occasionally basil. In Chinese cooking I was taught to have three taste ingredients; sweet, salty and sour. This was my thought process for using sage. Sage is sharply flavored and slightly bitter herb in the family of Lamiaceae, of the genus: Salvia. Sage is in the same family as basil, mint and rosemary. It is found all over the Mediterranean. Sage herb parts have many notable plant-derived chemical compounds...

Baked Apple Streusel Pancake Bars Recipe

Have you ever mixed up a batch of pancake batter, (because they sounded so amazing 15 minutes earlier when you were in bed), o nly to find yourself in front of the stove, spatula in hand, thinking "I really don't have the patience for this?" Yields: 20 Bars Adapted from: Martha Stewart's Buttermilk Pancakes 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or slightly less table salt 3 tablespoons sugar 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 3/4 cups buttermilk (whole milk can be substituted without any problems) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 small apple, diced into 1/2" pieces 2 cups Granola (we used an apple cinnamon granola from Bear Naked) For Topping: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 3 tablespoons butter, melted 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Grease and Parchment your choice of baking dish. We used 2 8"x8" pans (for the straight s...

9 Wonderful Benefits Of Pistachios

The health benefits of pistachios include a  healthy heart , weight management, protection against  diabetes  and hypertension, and improved  digestion . The  vitamins ,  minerals , fats, and protein found in pistachio are all good for health. What Are Pistachios? Pistachios are one of the oldest edible  nuts  and are commonly used all over the world. They are native to Asia, particularly Iran and Iraq. Archaeological evidence  dates  the association of pistachios and man as early as 6,000 BC. They were cultivated in Iran, Iraq, and Syria and were introduced to the Romans only in 100 AD. Today, apart from Iran, Iraq, and Syria, pistachios are being produced in many countries such as the United States, Australia, Turkey, and China, among others. Pistachio nuts belong to the  Anacardiaceae  family from the genus  Pistacia . A pistachio tree takes about 10 to 12 years to produce the first crop. They are d...

Braised Lettuce (Laitues Braises): A Take On Julia Child’s Recipe

You can use almost any lettuce, such as chicory, or frisee, or Boston Bib if you are busing large heads, cut them in half. We made these pescartarian because of the shrimp stock, but vegan is easy with vegetable stock, or if serving with beef, a  beef stock and bacon. Braised lettuce is a delicious garnish for poultry, white meats such as veal or pork, or steamed white fish. It can be the main accompanied by a warm sweet potato salad. Serves 4 4 heads Romaine lettuce hearts  4 thick slices of bacon (if making not vegetarian or vegan), cut into lardon strips 1 small onion , diced 2 carrots, diced 1 tablespoon/15g plus 1/2 tablespoon/7 butter divided  1 teaspoon/5ml olive oil 1/2 cup/125ml shrimp or seafood stock (see notes above) 1/2 cup/125ml cup white wine or dry white vermouth bouquet garni: 1 parsley branch, 1 branch of thyme,1  bay leaf tied to a cheesecloth ½ tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon parsley Trim stems of lettuce and ...