Trending Now - Meat Consumption May Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk for Specific Group

WHO:

Inc - Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University in Sweden conducted the study.

ScienceAlert - Neurologist Sara Garcia-Ptacek and gerontologist Jakob Norgren from Karolinska Institutet were involved in the research.

WHAT:

ScienceAlert - A higher unprocessed-to-total meat ratio, such as consuming more red meat or poultry, was associated with a lower risk of dementia, regardless of APOE status, compared with higher consumption of processed meat.

ScienceAlert - The researchers noted that the APOE gene encodes apolipoprotein E, a protein that helps transport cholesterol and fats throughout the body, including the brain.

Inc - The study found a link between higher meat consumption and reduced dementia risk, specifically for individuals with the APOE4 gene variant.

ScienceAlert - The study tracked 2,157 participants over the age of 60 for up to 15 years.

ScienceAlert - Participants with the APOE4 variant who consumed the most meat were significantly less likely to develop dementia, and memory decline occurred more slowly.

ScienceAlert - Processed meat accounted for about one-third of total meat intake in the study cohort's diet.

WHERE:

Inc - The research was conducted in Sweden.

WHEN:

ScienceAlert - The study was published in JAMA Network Open.

WHY:

ScienceAlert - The researchers hypothesized that people with the APOE4 gene variant may absorb certain nutrients from meat differently, which could explain the observed link between meat consumption and dementia risk.

ScienceAlert - The researchers hypothesized that individuals with the APOE4 variant might respond differently to a meat-heavy diet, potentially due to differences in nutrient absorption.

HOW:

ScienceAlert - The study was observational, meaning the researchers tracked participants' self-reported diets and cognitive changes over time without assigning diets experimentally.

ScienceAlert - The study was observational, tracking participants' self-reported diets against their cognitive test scores and dementia diagnoses without assigning diets experimentally.

(UPDATED April 14, 2026 23:16 UTC)

A new study has found that a higher ratio of unprocessed to total meat consumption, particularly red meat and poultry, is linked to a lower risk of dementia, regardless of a person's APOE gene status. Researchers believe that individuals with the APOE4 gene variant may absorb certain nutrients from meat differently, which could help explain this connection. The study was observational, tracking participants' self-reported diets and cognitive changes over time without assigning specific diets experimentally.

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(UPDATED April 14, 2026 21:20 UTC)

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University in Sweden have found a link between higher meat consumption and a reduced risk of dementia, particularly for individuals with the APOE4 gene variant. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, tracked over 2,100 participants aged 60 and older for up to 15 years and revealed that those with the APOE4 variant who consumed the most meat were significantly less likely to develop dementia, with slower memory decline. The observational research noted that processed meat made up about one-third of the total meat intake among the participants, leading researchers to hypothesize that those with the APOE4 variant may respond differently to a meat-heavy diet due to variations in nutrient absorption.