Eating processed red meat, like bacon and sausages, is linked to a 16% higher dementia risk. This alarming finding highlights the importance of dietary choices in protecting cognitive function as we age.

N=133,000 over 40 year time period

Observational study so limitations may apply but the findings do hold after adjusting for a large list of factors I will quote here:

educational attainments, family history of dementia, menopausal status with hormone use status, total energy intake, regular antidepressant drug use, history of depression, BMI, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, neighborhood SES [socioeconomic status], marital status, living arrangement, smoking status, histories of hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia and intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and legumes, low-fat dairy products, high-fat dairy products, and alcohol

  • @SupraMario
    0•17 hours ago

    And most studies like that are correlation related. Trying to take into account the massive list of causes is insane. A family member of mine is in his 70s, and has been vegan all his life, he has dementia and Parkinson’s…that %100 doesn’t mean being vegan caused it. Studies like this lack the ability to properly provide evidence of their findings, why? Because people self report a lot of the time wrong. Go check out “secret eaters” on YT, the amount people eat and report what they eat is pretty much always way lower than in reality.

    • @NocturnalMorning
      2•16 hours ago

      Right, you’re one data point speaks for itself. It trumps everything else and you’re way smarter than me. So glad to have had this conversation.