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A popular sandwich can increase the risk of developing brain diseases if you indulge in such food, scientists from the University of Leeds have reported.
Dementia is a disease in which a person's cognitive abilities are impaired. They have not yet learned how to treat it, you can only slow down the process.
Experts have carried out a large-scale study. They studied the diet of 500 people to find out if there is a link between the development of dementia and diet.
— Worldwide, the prevalence of dementia is increasing, and diet as a modifiable factor may play a role. Alzheimer's Society has warned that the number of dementia cases in the UK is predicted to rise to more than two million by 2051, writes lead author Huifeng Zhang.
The team of scientists found that daily consumption of 25 g of processed meat is associated with a 44% increased risk of developing dementia. That's the equivalent of one slice of bacon, meaning a simple bacon sandwich can increase your risk of brain disease in the presence of other risk factors.
Since processed meat increases the risk of developing dementia, sandwiches with sausage and ham are also dangerous from this point of view, the study emphasizes. This includes any meat delicacies.
The research team analyzed the data provided by the Biobank. The database contained detailed genetic and medical information from half a million UK participants aged 40 to 69. Data on how often the participants consumed different types of meat.
Among the participants, 2896 cases of dementia were registered during eight years of observation. Scientists have identified risk factors:
- Smoking
- Hypodynamia
- History of stroke
- Heredity
At the same time, the risk of developing dementia due to the consumption of processed meat was the same, regardless of whether a person had a genetic predisposition to the development of the brain disease or not.
People who ate more processed meat also tended to smoke, be overweight and eat fewer fruits and vegetables, it said. That is, it is about a healthy lifestyle in general and general awareness.
— Everything we do to study potential risk factors for dementia will help us reduce the incidence of this painful condition. Analyzing diet is the first step in understanding whether what we eat can affect this risk, the study points out.
