Higher meat intake may protect cognitive function

One of the most persistent claims in mainstream nutrition is that eating meat increases the risk of dementia and reduces longevity. A 15-year study published in JAMA Network Open directly contradicts that, at least for a genetically defined subset of the population. Among 2,157 older adults followed for up to 15 years in Sweden, higher meat consumption was associated with slower cognitive decline and a 55% lower dementia risk, but only among people who carry the APOE4 gene variant, one of the strongest known genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, affecting roughly a quarter of the global population.

For people without this variant, no meaningful association was found in either direction. The researchers also found that a higher proportion of processed meat in the diet was associated with increased dementia risk across all groups regardless of gene type, which reinforces the distinction between unprocessed and processed meat.

In other words, good quality meat and animal proteins/fats are not your enemy but your friend!

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