Mary Strieter, a Palm Beach County senior, loves bacon but has given it up over concern that eating the fatty, processed meat will contribute to memory loss.
Strieter’s mother had Alzheimer’s, and now that Strieter has entered her 70s, she wants to keep her own risk as low as possible.
“My doctor told me I should eat healthy, so that’s what I am doing,” she said.
A study released Wednesday shows that Strieter is on the right track in monitoring what she eats. Research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia shows that eating a couple of servings per week of processed red meat, such as bologna, hot dogs, or bacon, raises the risk of dementia. More specifically, researchers found that consuming about two servings per week of processed red meat raises the risk of dementia by 14% compared to those who eat less than three servings a month.
The newest research looks at how what we eat affects the aging brain’s ability to think and remember. As many as 580,000 Floridians ages 65 and older are living with the disease and more than 6.7 million Americans. The increasing prevalence has triggered more research on the factors that raise risk.
The study followed more than 130,000 people for up to 43 years and discovered that each additional daily serving of processed red meat was linked to an extra 1.6 years of brain aging. Yuhan Li, the study’s lead author, said processed meat may affect the brain because it contains high levels of harmful substances such as nitrites (preservatives) and sodium.
“The Alzheimer’s Association has long encouraged eating a healthier diet — including foods that are less processed — because they’ve been associated with lower the risk of cognitive decline,” Heather M. Snyder, Alzheimer’s Association vice president of medical and scientific relations, said in a prepared statement.
Studying processed meats adds to earlier research on food and brain health, linking diet to disease risk. The results have led experts to recommend seniors eat whole, fresh foods as much as possible.
“It’s important for people to know that there is not a single food or ingredient that causes dementia or Alzheimer’s,” said Dr. Christian Camargo, associate professor of neurology and a memory specialist with the University of Miami Health System. “There also is not a single food that will cure it.”
Here are other findings on diet and Alzheimer’s risk:
Pre-packaged and highly processed foods increase risk
In 2022, UK researchers found that for every 10% increase in daily intake of highly processed foods, the risk of dementia increased by 25%. Examples of highly processed foods include packaged bread, crackers, soft drinks, breakfast cereals, sweetened yogurts, snack bars, ice cream, and chips. Researchers studied 72,083 men and women who were 55 or older. The participants kept detailed logs of what they ate and drank.
Researchers concluded: “Increasing unprocessed or minimally processed foods by only 50 grams a day, which is equivalent to half an apple, a serving of corn, or a bowl of bran cereal, and simultaneously decreasing ultra-processed foods by 50 grams a day, equivalent to a chocolate bar or a serving of fish sticks, is associated with 3 percent decreased risk of dementia.”
A high-sugar diet can increase risk
Studies have linked high sugar consumption to insulin resistance in the brain and increased risk of dementia. In particular, some researchers have examined the overconsumption of sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas and fruit juices. The findings indicate it may be possible to keep brain cells healthy by reducing sugar intake.
“Just about anything with added sugar is not going to be great for you,” said Julia Sheffler, assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine at the Florida State University College of Medicine. “Whether you have sugar in your drinks or food, it spikes your insulin and over time that can lead to your body becoming insulin resistant. That increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, but it also has negative impacts on the brain.”
Foods like fish, nuts, seeds and berries can lower risk
Previous research has found that diets rich in green leafy vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and fish are associated with fewer signs of Alzheimer’s disease. These diets also tend to include olive oil, whole grains, small amounts of wine, and limited red meat. This type of diet aims to increase the nutrients that protect the brain and inhibit beta-amyloid deposits found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.
“There’s really robust evidence that a Mediterranean diet, in particular, has benefits for brain health and heart health and that it can actually slow the rate of cognitive decline and reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” Sheffler said.
At FSU, Sheffler is looking at how to help seniors adopt those diets and overcome reluctance or obstacles.
“If you can’t stick with it, you just kind of occasionally eat the right foods here and there, it’s not going to be as effective as if you’re really consistently following the Mediterranean or a Mediterranean-ketogenic diet,” she said.
Olive oil lowers risk
People who incorporate olive oil into their everyday diet may decrease their risk of dementia-related death, according to a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study.
The Harvard study analyzed the diets and health outcomes of 92,383 American adults. It found that regardless of genetic predisposition or diet, participants who consumed at least 7 grams of olive oil per day had a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death compared to participants who never or rarely consumed olive oil.
“Foods like olive oil that have heart benefits also have brain benefits,” Camargo said.
Supplements may not lower risk
Advertisements often tout the benefits of supplements such as Lion’s Mane, Vitamin D, and Ginkgo biloba for lowering your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
But Florida Alzheimer’s experts are skeptical.
Camargo points out supplements are unregulated in the United States.
“They are not well studied because they are not pharmaceuticals,” he said. “You don’t know what you are getting and they were not studied for the purpose of learning whether they reduce Alzheimer’s risk.”
He said all the new research on diet helps people understand that there are ways to reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s. “The point is we have some control.”
Sheffler advises gaining that control regardless of age. “The earlier the better, but it’s never too late. You are still going to see benefits.”
Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.
