It concerns carriers of the so-called APOE gene - almost 70 percent of those who have Alzheimer's disease are carriers of the gene combinations APOE 3/4 or APOE 4/4.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, followed just over 2,100 people, all aged 60 or older, for up to 15 years. The top fifth of participants by meat consumption did not appear to have an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
"Those who ate more meat overall had significantly better cognitive function and lower dementia risk, but only if they had the gene variants APOE 3/4 or APOE 4/4," says Jakob Norgren, the study's first author and a researcher at KI, in a statement.
The median consumption was estimated at approximately 870 grams of meat per week.
