A significant share of the population carries certain variants of the APOE gene, which is known to influence the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
According to previous research published in JAMA Neurology, the APOE4 variant in particular significantly increases the likelihood of developing the disease.
In the Nordic countries, prevalence is relatively high, making the region relevant for studies of genetic risk factors.
A new study
The current study, published in JAMA Network Open, followed more than 2,100 older adults without dementia for up to 15 years.
Also read: Scientists intrigued by lobsters’ unusual aging process
The data were drawn from the Swedish SNAC-K study and included both dietary habits and cognitive measurements.
The analyses accounted for factors such as age, education, and lifestyle.
The results showed that individuals with a genetic risk generally had a higher incidence of dementia when meat intake was low.
At the same time, the data indicated that a low intake of processed meat was associated with a lower risk of dementia regardless of genetic profile.
Also read: How kiwi can affect your body if you eat them regularly
Dietary guidelines
The researchers emphasize that the findings may have implications for future nutritional recommendations.
In particular, they point to the need for more targeted dietary advice based on genetic differences.
However, the study is observational, meaning that causal relationships cannot be definitively established. Clinical trials are therefore needed to confirm the findings.
Individuals with a high genetic risk did not experience the expected increase in dementia if they had a relatively high meat intake.
Also read: These persistent symptoms may be early signs of cancer
At the same time, lower mortality was observed in this group with higher consumption of unprocessed meat.
Sources: VIA, JAMA Neurology, and JAMA Network Open.
Also read: These “perfectly normal” symptoms could be signs of a brain tumor