Eating processed red meat is linked to a higher chance of developing dementia, according to a recent study.

When we consider ways to maintain brain health, we may think of habits like completing puzzles and memory games. But eating a nutritious diet? Probably not as much. However, research suggests that it really should be near the top of your list.

A recent study published in the journal Neurology found that eating processed red meat was linked to a higher chance of developing dementia or experiencing cognitive decline. The study joins previous research underscoring the risks of eating processed meats, which are also linked to cancer and cardiovascular disease.

The Neurology study followed 133,771 people who did not have a dementia diagnosis when the study started; the participants were followed for up to 43 years and recorded their eating habits every two to four years. During the study period, 11,173 people were diagnosed with dementia.

Participants were categorised by how much processed red meat they ate, with “low” being under 0.1 servings per day, “medium” being between 0.1 and 0.24 servings per day, and “high” being 0.25 or more servings per day. A typical serving of processed red meat is 3 ounces, according to a press release for the study.

When compared with the “low” group, people with the largest consumption of processed red meat per day had a 13% higher chance of developing dementia. Hot dogs, sausage, salami, bologna and bacon were all categorised as processed red meat by the study authors.

Researchers also looked at objective cognitive function, which relates to a person’s memory and ability to solve problems, and found that study participants in the high group had reduced cognitive abilities and faster brain aging compared with those in the low group.

This is all pretty grim. Deli meat sandwiches are a regular lunch staple for many, and eggs and bacon are commonplace as well. All hope is not lost though ― swapping out processed red meat now can help reduce your dementia risk as you age. The study found that eating fish, nuts or legumes instead of processed red meat could lower........

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