Large study shows that cutting out favorite breakfast foods reduces the risk of dementia by 20%

Experts warn that adding bacon to your breakfast could increase the risk of dementia.

In a recently released study described as one of the “most robust” to date, researchers followed more than 100,000 adults over four decades to evaluate the link between diet and cognitive health.

The team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found that adults who ate at least two servings of processed red meat per week had a 14 percent higher risk of developing dementia, compared with those who ate fewer than three servings per month.

But replacing that slice of bacon with a serving of nuts or beans was enough to reduce the risk of cognitive decline by 20 percent.

Processed meats like bacon are linked to a 14 percent higher risk of dementia, according to recently presented research

The above graph shows the rates of Alzheimer’s per 100,000 people, both age-standardized and all ages. Age-standardized is a method used to adjust for differences in age distribution between populations or over time, while non-age-standardized is the raw rate calculated across all age groups in the population without any adjustment.

These findings come after processed meats such as bacon and hot dogs have been blamed for a range of health problems, including a rise in colorectal cancer among young Americans.

Dr Maria Carrillo, chief scientific officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, said: ‘This is one of the most robust studies I’ve seen linking processed meat consumption to dementia, because the subjects were actually followed for decades.’

The study, which has not yet been published, followed 130,000 adults for 43 years. Every two to four years, the team collected dietary data from each participant.

They were asked how often they ate a serving of processed red meat, which could be two slices of bacon, a hot dog, two small sausages, and sandwiches with salami, bologna, or other processed meat. Researchers also asked how often they ate nuts or legumes.

The team then compared the cognitive health of people who ate at least two servings of processed meat per day with people who ate fewer than three servings per month.

In addition to the 14 percent increased risk of dementia, each additional serving of processed meat per day was associated with an additional 1.6 years of cognitive aging, particularly in the brain areas that control language and behavior.

However, unprocessed red meats like ground beef and steak did not carry the same risks. “If it’s unprocessed, in moderation, red meat is actually OK,” Dr. Carrillo said.

She noted that this may be because processed meat contains nitrates, chemicals that keep meat fresh and maintain its color.

When consumed, nitrates are converted into nitrosamines, which can damage cells and neurons and impair cognitive health.

Nitrosamines also promote inflammation in the brain, which breaks down important neurotransitters and creates plaques that damage brain health.

Bacon and processed meats are also high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which cause atherosclerosis, a buildup of fat in the arteries that restricts blood flow to the brain, contributing to cognitive decline.

In addition, the high sodium content in processed meat can lead to high blood pressure, which can eventually damage the blood vessels in the brain.

Bacon is considered a highly processed food. It typically undergoes at least five levels of processing, including curing, smoking, and cutting.

Other recent research has seen similar effects. A 2021 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition For example, a study of nearly 500,000 adults found that eating 25 grams of processed meat a day — about six slices of bacon — increased the risk of dementia by 44 percent.

That intake was also linked to a 52 percent increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.

The new findings also showed that replacing a serving of processed meat with a serving of nuts or beans could reduce the risk of dementia by 20 percent.

“These are anti-inflammatory foods, so you can imagine they have a lot of other benefits, besides reducing the amount of processed meat that has toxins, nitrates and sodium, which are not good for you,” Dr. Carrillo said.

The study had some limitations. Participants were primarily white and of a higher socioeconomic class, meaning the findings may not represent the majority of the U.S. population.

Furthermore, the study was observational, which means that only associations can be demonstrated and not direct causes.

The research was presented Wednesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia.