Meat Consumption, Cognitive Function and Disorders: A Systematic Review with Narrative Synthesis and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Nutritional Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Cognitive impairment and dementia prevalence are rising globally.
• Dietary patterns are shifting towards increased meat consumption.
• Existing research on meat intake and cognitive function yields inconsistent results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize evidence on the association between meat intake and cognitive disorders.
• To evaluate the impact of meat consumption on cognitive function and dementia risk.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 29 studies (12 cohort, 3 case-control, 13 cross-sectional, 1 intervention).
• Meta-analysis of five studies to compare meat consumption in individuals with and without cognitive disorders.
• Meta-analysis of five studies to assess the odds of cognitive disorders with varying meat consumption frequencies.

Main Results:

• The majority of studies (21/29) found no significant association between meat consumption and cognitive function or disorders.
• Meta-analysis indicated no significant difference in meat intake between cognitive disorder cases and controls (SMD = -0.32, 95% CI: -1.01, 0.36) with high heterogeneity.
• A separate meta-analysis suggested reduced odds of cognitive disorders with weekly or more meat consumption (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.88), but noted potential publication bias.

Conclusions:

• Overall, current evidence does not establish a strong association between meat intake and cognitive disorders.
• The existing evidence base is limited, necessitating further high-quality studies.
• Future research should aim to isolate meat's specific effects from broader dietary patterns to clarify its role in cognitive health.