New study finds link between processed meats and dementia By Dan Sweiger, Owner/President, BrightStar Care of Carlsbad
Based on the findings of a recent study published in the journal Neurology®, you may want to rethink that hot dog or a ham sandwich. The study found that people who eat more red meat, especially processed red meat like bacon, sausage and bologna, are more likely to have a higher risk of dementia and cognitive decline.
Researchers analyzed the diets, health, and lifestyle choices of more than 133,000 participants in two long-running population studies -- the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study – and followed them for up to 43 years.
After adjusting for factors such as age, sex and other risk factors for cognitive decline, researchers found that participants who ate an average of 0.25 servings or more per day of processed red meat (that’s about 2 slices of bacon, 1.5 slices of bologna, or 1 hot dog) had a 13% higher risk of developing dementia.
They also found that eating more processed red meat was associated with faster brain aging in global cognition. And, even eating one or more servings of unprocessed red meat per day increased the risk of cognitive decline.
“Red meat is high in saturated fat and has been shown in previous studies to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which are both linked to reduced brain health,” said study author Dong Wang, MD, ScD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
The good news? Researchers found that replacing processed red meat nuts and legumes was associated with lower risk of dementia and cognitive aging. Making the same substitution for chicken or fish was associated with even lower risk of dementia.
Read the full article here: American Academy of Neurology
About The Author:
Dan Sweiger is an accomplished executive, public speaker, community educator and industry leader who co-owns and operates BrightStar Care of Carlsbad, California’s top rated home care agency, along with his wife, Susie. Mr. Sweiger is a healthcare industry leader who serves on the Board of Trustees for the Tri-City Hospital Foundation and the Board of Directors of the San Diego Dementia Consortium.
He also supports the North County San Diego healthcare community through a wide range of industry groups, including... Alzheimer's Association of San Diego, Parkinson’s Association of San Diego, North County Parkinson’s Support Groups, SD County Council on Aging, SD Coalition for Compassionate Care, Veteran's Association of North County, and more. He also leads community education workshops at the Carlsbad Senior Center.
Mr. Sweiger has an MBA from Purdue University and 20+ years of leadership experience as an executive in Fortune 500 companies.
About BrightStar Care of Carlsbad, CA:
BrightStar Care of Carlsbad is the #1 rated home care agency in California, by Home Care Pulse. They offer a wide range of in-home support services, including companion care, personal care and skilled nursing. They also specialize in care for people with Parkinson’s and dementia. Because BrightStar caregivers are trained and supported by a RN Nursing Director who watches over their clients and staff – something extremely rare for home care companies -- they can provide early detection and intervention when medical issues arise. In fact, BrightStar clients are 25% less likely to be hospitalized compared to clients of other home care companies.