A new study has found a potential connection between high red meat consumption, particularly processed meats, and an increased risk of dementia. The research, conducted by experts from Mass General Brigham, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, suggests that a diet heavy in red meat could not only contribute to chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes but also impact cognitive health. The findings, published in the Neurology® journal on January 15, 2025, indicate that replacing processed red meats with healthier protein sources such as fish, nuts, and legumes could reduce dementia risk by up to 20 percent.
“Dietary guidelines typically focus on reducing the risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but cognitive health is less often emphasized, despite its strong links to these conditions,” said Dr. Daniel Wang, the study’s corresponding author. Wang, an associate professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and an associate member of the Broad Institute, hopes the study will encourage more attention to the relationship between diet and brain health.
As the aging U.S. population faces an increasing number of dementia cases, the new study underscores the importance of dietary choices in cognitive function. The research tracked the health of 133,771 individuals, with an average age of 49 at the study’s start, over a period of up to 43 years. Of these participants, 11,173 developed dementia. The data came from two long-running studies—the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS)—which have collected extensive health and dietary information from thousands of individuals, allowing researchers to explore links between diet and long-term health outcomes.
For reference, a typical serving of red meat is about three ounces, roughly the size of a bar of soap. Those who consumed an average of one-quarter or more of a serving of processed red meat daily (such as two slices of bacon or a hot dog) had a 13 percent higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who consumed less than one-tenth of a serving each day. This increase in risk remained significant after adjusting for various factors such as family history of dementia, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle choices.
The researchers also used standard cognitive assessments to measure objective cognitive function and found that participants with higher processed meat consumption exhibited greater cognitive decline. Specifically, cognitive aging accelerated by about 1.6 years for each additional daily serving of processed meat.
In addition to objective measures, the study also explored subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a condition where individuals notice a decline in memory or thinking abilities, often preceding more noticeable cognitive impairment. Those who consumed higher amounts of both processed and unprocessed meats—such as beef and pork—were more likely to report SCD. Participants eating one-quarter or more servings of processed meat daily had a 14 percent increased risk of SCD, while those consuming one or more servings of unprocessed meat each day had a 16 percent higher risk, compared to those with minimal consumption.
Further research is ongoing to better understand the mechanisms linking red meat consumption to dementia risk. One area of focus is the gut microbiome, which plays a role in the breakdown of meat. Specifically, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a compound produced by gut bacteria when processing meat, may contribute to cognitive decline by promoting the aggregation of amyloid and tau proteins, which are implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. However, more research is needed to fully understand this potential connection. Additionally, the high levels of saturated fat and salt found in red meat may also have detrimental effects on brain cell health.
These findings contribute to a growing body of evidence linking diet to cognitive health and reinforce the importance of dietary choices in reducing the risk of chronic conditions, including dementia.
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