Health

Red meat could raise dementia risk, researchers claim, yet some doctors have questions

Published

1 day ago

January 27, 2025

Red meat could raise dementia risk, researchers claim, yet some doctors have questions

While red meat is a rich source of protein, iron and other nutrients, a recent study linked it to an increased risk of dementia — but some doctors are casting doubt on the claim.

Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Mass General Brigham found that daily consumption of certain amounts of processed red meats increased dementia risk by 13%, according to a press release.

It was also tied to a 14% higher risk of developing subjective cognitive decline and faster brain aging.

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“The findings did not really surprise us,” lead study author Yuhan Li, a researcher from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, told Fox News Digital.

“The results are generally in line with our hypothesis, showing that a higher intake of red meat, particularly processed red meat, is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia and worse cognition.”

The increased risk was seen in people who ate at least one-quarter of a serving of unprocessed meats per day, according to the research article. This equates to around one hot dog, two slices of bacon, or one and a half slices of bologna.

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The researchers also suggested that replacing one serving of processed red meat per day with a serving of nuts and legumes could reduce dementia risk by 19% — and that replacing it with fish could reduce the risk by 28%.

The study included 133,771 individuals, 11,173 of whom received a dementia diagnosis over a four-decade span. The data came from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS), which tracked participants’ dietary choices and health status.

The increased risk was seen in people who ate at least one-quarter of a serving of unprocessed meats per day, which equates to around two slices of bacon, one hot dog, or one and a half slices of bologna. (iStock)

Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the study was published on Jan. 15 in the journal Neurology.

The findings were first presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) earlier in 2024.

Experts react to the findings

“There are many reasons to believe that too much red meat is linked to dementia,” Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst, told Fox News Digital.

“In the case of processed meat like bacon and ham, the chemicals added may also lead to dementia via inflammation and neuroinflammation,” added Siegel, who was not involved in the new research.

The researchers suggested that replacing one serving of processed red meat per day with a serving of nuts and legumes could reduce dementia risk by 19%. (iStock)

The doctor also warned of red meat potentially leading to weight gain and obesity, which can cause inflammation and in turn raise the risk of dementia.

“Red meat may also lead to heart disease, which increases dementia risk,” Siegel noted.

Theresa Gentile, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in New York, noted that previous research has found an association between red meat — especially processed red meat — and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are both related to impaired cognitive health.

“There isn’t a single food or ingredient that … has been shown to cause, increase risk, prevent, treat or cure Alzheimer’s or other dementias.”

“This was a large study conducted over a long period of time and was adjusted for confounding factors and still found that, in three different groups, eating more processed red meat was associated with cognitive decline than eating less,” Gentile, who did not work on the study, told Fox News Digital.

Some experts suggested that the risk is linked more to ultraprocessed foods in general rather than specific meats.

Heather M. Snyder, Ph.D., senior vice president of medical and scientific relations at the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, pointed out that a number of studies have suggested that diets with more ultraprocessed foods are bad for brain health.

“For example, a report at the AAIC 2022 found that people who eat large amounts of ultraprocessed foods have a faster decline in cognition,” Snyder, who was not involved in the new study, told Fox News Digital.

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“More than 20% of daily intake of ultraprocessed foods led to a 28% faster decline in global cognitive scores, including memory and verbal fluency.”

It is “unlikely” that one food will have a “significant beneficial or detrimental effect on a disease as complex as Alzheimer’s,” according to Snyder.

“There isn’t a single food or ingredient that, through rigorous scientific research, has been shown to cause, increase risk, prevent, treat or cure Alzheimer’s or other dementias,” she stated.

Potential study limitations

Siegel noted that the study was observational, which means that “no strict conclusions can be drawn.”

“We still need double-blinded, randomized trials to draw more definite conclusions,” he said.

It is “unlikely” that one food will have a “significant beneficial or detrimental effect on a disease as complex as Alzheimer’s,” one expert stated. (iStock)

Lead study author Yuhan also acknowledged the potential limitations.

“The Nurses’ Health Study enrolled female registered nurses, and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study enrolled U.S. male health professionals,” she told Fox News Digital.

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“These participants tend to have higher educational attainment and income levels, and therefore, the study’s generalizability may be limited. In addition, because this study is an observational study, residual confounding remains a possibility.”

Dr. Ken Berry, a family physician and diabetes specialist in Tennessee, was not involved in the study but shared his thoughts on “healthy user bias” potentially skewing the results.

“The people who are eating the least amount of processed meat and the least amount of red meat in these studies — they were also exercising every day,” one doctor noted when speaking about the research. (iStock)

“The people who are eating the least amount of processed meat and the least amount of red meat in these studies — they were also exercising every day,” he said in a video posted on his YouTube channel last week.

“They absolutely did not smoke. They did not drink to excess. They were trying their best to live a healthy life.”

“We still need double-blinded, randomized trials to draw more definite conclusions.”

Research has shown that exercising regularly and eating whole, unprocessed foods can decrease the risk of dementia, Berry noted.

“I don’t think any nutrition expert would argue with that,” he said, but added that there is “no evidence whatsoever” that red meat is linked to higher dementia risk.

Healthy dietary tips

Gentile recommended limiting servings of processed red meats like bacon, sausage, hot dogs and deli meats to less than a quarter of a serving per day, and to consider healthier protein alternatives like fish, nuts, legumes and chicken.

“A balanced diet with moderation in terms of protein sources and serving size is key,” Gentile said. “If your diet is heavy in processed red meats, try swapping one of those servings out for beans, fish or chicken.”

One registered dietitian recommended limiting servings of processed red meats and considering protein alternatives like fish, nuts, legumes and chicken. (iStock)

The nutritionist also suggested including brain-boosting foods each day, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats.

The Alzheimer’s Association has long encouraged eating a balanced diet to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and all other dementia types, Snyder noted.

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“That includes foods that are less processed to ensure that our bodies get the needed nutrients, because they’ve been associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline,” she told Fox News Digital.

“As research continues, we may uncover other dietary patterns that increase or decrease our risk.”

Berry pointed out that while he is a self-described “carnivore,” he is not completely “anti-plant.”

“I’m a proponent of a proper human diet, which ranges from low-carb with vegetables and berries and nuts, to keto with a few berries and vegetables and nuts, to ‘ketovore’ with just a little veg for flavor and garnish, all the way to carnivore,” he said in his video.

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The best diet for any individual should depend on multiple factors, he said, including their overall metabolic health, age, weight, genetics and gut microbiome.

Added Berry, “That’s the proper human diet spectrum.”

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

Health

Kansas City tuberculosis outbreak is largest in US history

Published

6 minutes ago

January 28, 2025

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Kansas City tuberculosis outbreak is largest in US history

A tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas City, Kansas, has become the largest documented on record in the United States.

As of Jan. 24, 2025, there have been 67 active cases reported in Wyandotte County (60) and Johnson County (7) since January 2024, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

There have also been 79 latent, or asymptomatic, tuberculosis (TB) infections reported over the last year, including 77 in Wyandotte County and two in Johnson County.

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KDHE has reportedly been working with local health departments in response to the outbreak, following guidance on proper treatment and prevention from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, KDHE confirmed that the outbreak is “still ongoing, which means there could be more cases.”

TB is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs. It is caused by bacteria that spreads through the air when infected people cough, speak or sing. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Two TB deaths associated with this outbreak were reported in 2024, KDHE noted.

In comparison, the CDC recorded 46 active TB cases in Kansas in 2023.

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“In an effort to provide efficient and quality care to those individuals affected by the outbreak, KDHE assumed responsibility for the coordination and distribution of testing, treatment and medical consultation in Wyandotte County,” the agency shared.

TB is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs, according to KDHE. It is caused by bacteria that spreads through the air when infected people cough, speak or sing.

“Kansas is not alone in its battle against TB, which kills more than a million people each year.”

It is not spread by kissing, shaking hands, sharing food and drink, or touching objects, the same source stated.

TB symptoms can include coughing, chest pain, coughing up blood or mucus, fatigue, weight loss, fever and night sweats.

sick woman sitting on sofa holding her chest

Tuberculosis can show up as pulmonary TB, infection in the lungs or extra-pulmonary TB, which are infections in other parts of the body. (iStock)

KDHE confirmed to Fox News Digital that there is a “very low risk” of infection to the general public.

Wendy Thanassi, M.D., senior medical director of TB and Infectious diseases at QIAGEN North America, shared her thoughts on the threat of the outbreak in a separate interview with Fox News Digital.

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“Kansas is not alone in its battle against TB, which kills more than a million people each year,” said the San Francisco-based doctor.

“Every undetected case is an outbreak waiting to happen, yet we have the power to stop TB before it starts.”

KDHE confirmed that the outbreak is “still ongoing, which means there could be more cases.” (iStock)

Thanassi encouraged employers, doctors and community leaders to “organize testing” to stop the spread.

“One simple blood test can identify this sleeping killer before it awakes, and one course of antibiotics can stop it from infecting the people we love,” she said.

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A person with active TB will no longer be infectious “shortly after beginning treatment” with antibiotics, according to KDHE.

There were 9,633 cases of TB disease reported in the U.S. in 2023, according to the CDC, which is 15.6% more than the prior year.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

For Children in Rural Mozambique, the Future Comes Into Focus

Published

11 hours ago

January 28, 2025

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For Children in Rural Mozambique, the Future Comes Into Focus

Over the past year, Muanema Fakira noticed something odd about the eyes of her 1-year-old daughter Sumaya. Her left eye was cloudy. It did not gleam with curiosity or glint in the sun. When the problem persisted, Ms. Fakira made the rounds to health clinics in their town in central Mozambique. Doctors said they could not help.

But they knew of someone who could, if Ms. Fakira could take Sumaya, now 2, on a 100-mile journey to the coast.

The family made the trip to the city of Quelimane, where Dr. Isaac Vasco da Gama examined Sumaya’s eyes and quickly diagnosed a congenital cataract.

Ms. Fakira was skeptical — cataracts are for old people, she said. But Dr. da Gama explained that an infection at birth, or shortly after, can cause cataracts in children. The condition is particularly worrying because vision problems affect the development of a child’s physical function. But the good news, he said, was that the problem can be solved with a simple surgery, one he does a dozen times a week at Quelimane Central Hospital.

This was particularly lucky for Sumaya because Dr. da Gama is one of just three pediatric ophthalmologists in Mozambique, a country of 30 million people.

Sumaya had her surgery in November, and a day later headed home, already recovering. Dr. da Gama was pleased to have seen her while she was still young, before permanent damage was done.

It was a sign that a system he and colleagues have been trying to put in place for the last few years might be taking hold: Sumaya’s parents sought help from the medical system for an eye problem — rather than a traditional healer, or a sorcerer to remove a curse.

When Sumaya was referred for care, it was a long and expensive trip, but she got help relatively quickly for a problem that might otherwise have blighted her life. Ideally her cataract would have been spotted at birth by a midwife.

“I do believe that by pushing forward, we can slowly overcome this challenge,” Dr. da Gama said.

In Mozambique, as in much of sub-Saharan Africa, awareness of vision problems is so low, and access to help so limited, that few children get the care they need, even though many suffer from easily treatable problems.

In 2021, a global commission on eye health reported that 510 million people around the world, 90 percent of them in low- and middle-income countries, had uncorrected vision impairment. That is, they could not see properly because they did not have glasses.

The consequences are enormous: Children with vision loss in these countries are significantly less likely to be in school. One study found that for those who do attend school, those with uncorrected vision problems learn half as much as their peers with normal vision.

Access to treatment is so limited because of a scarcity of trained staff and a failure to integrate vision care into health systems. Children are not screened for vision loss, and parents and teachers don’t understand the simple causes of eye trouble that can manifest in distraction, lack of physical coordination and behavior issues.

Mozambique has just 20 ophthalmologists, up from six two decades ago. Almost all of them are based in the capital, Maputo, in the south.

Dr. da Gama completed his studies in India in 2017 and set up a clinic in Quelimane, a seaport town halfway up Mozambique’s long Indian Ocean coastline. But to his surprise, he saw very few patients in the first year. He discovered that no one was being referred to him because health workers did not recognize treatable eye diseases. He started traveling to local clinics to tell medical workers about screening and solutions.

Then he teamed up with the charity Light for the World, which had sponsored him to complete specialized training in pediatric eye care in Tanzania. They designed an outreach program to show teachers, community health workers, traditional healers and local leaders how to spot vision problems and to refer children to the new ophthalmology ward at the Quelimane hospital.

Now, a couple of times a year, for up to a month at a time, he takes a mobile clinic to small communities to do surgeries on children with cataracts, glaucoma or strabismus (misaligned eyes).

Cataracts cause nearly half the preventable blindness in Mozambique’s children; they can be genetic, or the result of trauma (like a stick or a stone in the eye), or of an untreated eye infection.

On his outreach journeys, Dr. da Gama teaches other health care workers how to perform the simple surgeries, and how to spot the conditions. “Operating per se is not a problem: We can train in a week, two weeks, how to operate on a cataract,” he said. “But it is how to identify the children who need the operations.”

Mozambique’s Ministry of Health is trying to build awareness of vision problems and refractive errors, for which a pair of glasses is a life-altering intervention.

Glasses or simple surgeries that keep children in school can change the future for their families, and for the country as a whole. “If you have children less educated or with fewer skills,” he said, “the future of the economy is affected.”

In Quelimane, Dr. da Gama also sees cases of retinoblastoma, a cancer of the retina. When patients come early enough, he can save their lives, if not their eyes.

Camilo Rosario brought his daughter Grace, 3, to his clinic in November, from their home in a village 300 kilometers (about 185 miles) away. She had a tumor protruding from her eye that caused her excruciating pain. Mr. Rosario said she had begun to complain about her eye just weeks before. He shifted anxiously from foot to foot while Dr. da Gama explained that he would operate quickly to remove the tumor, but that he feared the disease was already in her brain.

Grace soon recovered from the first surgery, clinging to her father with a bulky bandage around her head. But as Dr. da Gama had feared, she had come to him too late; she died in early January.

Aminata Kaba was screened alongside her classmates in high school last year — and was surprised to learn that she was myopic. After she got glasses, school became significantly easier, she said, and her grades soon improved. Now, she said, she will continue on in school, and she hopes to be a lawyer.

Screening older children is easy; coaxing cooperation out of the small ones is a much greater challenge, Dr. da Gama said. They rarely look where he needs them to for eye exams. The eyedrops, the equipment, even his white coat, all can be frightening. He said he smiles and sings to distract, removing the coat when required.

“I like difficult things,” he said.

Health

Bill Gates likely had autism as a child, he reveals: ‘Wasn’t widely understood’

Published

12 hours ago

January 28, 2025

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Bill Gates likely had autism as a child, he reveals: ‘Wasn’t widely understood’

Bill Gates said he believes he would have been diagnosed with autism if he were growing up today.

The Microsoft co-founder and tech billionaire, 69, made the revelation in his upcoming memoir, “Source Code: My Beginnings.”

In an excerpt of the book, which was published in The Wall Street Journal, Gates wrote about how his parents “struggled with their complicated son” during his childhood in Washington State.

“If I were growing up today, I probably would be diagnosed on the autism spectrum,” Gates wrote.

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“During my childhood, the fact that some people’s brains process information differently from others wasn’t widely understood.”

Bill Gates said he believes he would have been diagnosed with autism if he were growing up today, as written in his upcoming memoir, “Source Code: My Beginnings.” (Reuters)

The term “neurodivergent,” which is widely used today, had not yet been coined while he was growing up, Gates noted.

“My parents had no guideposts or textbooks to help them grasp why their son became so obsessed with certain projects, missed social cues and could be rude and inappropriate without seeming to notice his effect on others,” he went on.

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Gates wrote about how his parents, Bill and Mary Gates, gave him the “precise blend of support and pressure” he needed to develop his social skills.

“Even with their influence, my social side would be slow to develop, as would my awareness of the impact I can have on other people,” he wrote. “But that has come with age, with experience, with children, and I’m better for it.”

“I wish it had come sooner, even if I wouldn’t trade the brain I was given for anything.”

Signs of autism disorder

The hallmark signs of autism are challenges with social communication skills and restricted and repetitive behaviors, according to Andy Shih, chief science officer at Autism Speaks in New York City.

The term “neurodivergent,” which is widely used today, had not yet been coined while he was growing up, Gates noted in the memoir. ( Justin Tallis – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

“This could look like avoidance of eye contact, delayed language development, difficulty understanding other people’s feelings, repeating words or phrases, hand flapping, or having very intense and specific interests,” he told Fox News Digital.

“I wouldn’t trade the brain I was given for anything.”

On the behavioral side, autism spectrum disorder can also manifest as a “rigid reliance on routines, an intense focus on specific topics or sensory sensitivities,” according to Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist in New York City.

Autism is a spectrum, Alpert noted, which means symptoms can vary significantly in type and severity.

Off the radar

Alpert confirmed that autism “wasn’t on peoples’ radar” as much when Gates was a child as it is today.

“Autism wasn’t widely recognized or understood decades ago,” he said. “Back then, the diagnostic criteria were much narrower, and awareness was limited even among healthcare professionals.”

The hallmark signs of autism are challenges with social communication skills and restricted and repetitive behaviors, one expert noted. (iStock)

What is now known as the autism spectrum was categorized differently or overlooked entirely, Alpert noted.

“As a result, many individuals who would meet today’s criteria for autism went undiagnosed.”

Shih agreed that autism diagnoses were much less common when Gates was growing up in the 50s and 60s.

“Autism was first described by Leo Kanner in 1943, and while awareness grew slowly in the following decades, it wasn’t until the 80s and 90s that autism spectrum disorder was introduced into the DSM (the diagnostic manual used in the U.S.) and became widely recognized and diagnosed at higher rates,” he told Fox News Digital.

Reasons for rising cases

One in 45 adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with autism, Shih noted — more than ever before.

“Autism prevalence has risen due to increased public and professional awareness of autism, broader diagnostic criteria for autism, improved screening tools like the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), and standardized screening processes,” he stated.

“Autism wasn’t widely recognized or understood decades ago,” one psychotherapist said. “Back then, the diagnostic criteria were much narrower, and awareness was limited even among healthcare professionals.” (iStock)

“These factors have led to earlier detection and more diagnoses.”

The growing prevalence of autism is a highly debated topic, Alpert noted.

“Much of the increase in autism diagnoses can likely be attributed to improved awareness, broader diagnostic criteria and better access to healthcare services,” he told Fox News Digital.

“Autism wasn’t widely recognized or understood decades ago.”

Other factors, however — such as environmental exposures and genetic predispositions — are also being studied as potential contributors.

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“While it’s essential to identify and support those with legitimate diagnoses, there’s also concern that over-diagnosis — potentially influenced by societal trends or misinterpretations by less experienced therapists — can trivialize the condition and undermine those truly in need of support,” Alpert cautioned.

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Despite the growth in diagnoses, there are still missed diagnoses, Shih noted.

The expert said, “While society is much more aware of autism today than ever before thanks to improved public health outreach and increased screening, advocacy and awareness efforts, there are still likely many adults with autism who never received a diagnosis or were misdiagnosed.”

Bill Gates’ memoir, “Source Code: My Beginnings,” will be published on Feb. 4 by Knopf.

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.