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A food popular with Brits could not only increase your risk of an early death but also make you susceptible to a range of lethal conditions, research suggests. Regular consumption of this

food could heighten your chances of developing dementia, heart disease, and even cancer. The culprit? Processed red meat. This refers to any meat that has undergone preservation methods such

as smoking, curing, salting, or the addition of preservatives. This includes everyday items like ham, hot dogs, deli meats, and, notably, two key components of a traditional English fry up

- bacon and sausages. A study involving half a million people, published in BMC Medicine journal in 2013, highlighted this and concluded that diets high in processed meats were associated

with premature deaths. It was also linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Researchers suggested that the salt and chemicals used for preserving the meat might be

detrimental to health. Over a span of 13 years, one in every 17 participants passed away. It was estimated that those who consumed more than 160g of processed meat daily - equivalent to two

sausages and a slice of bacon - were 44 per cent more likely to die than those consuming about 20g. The study also revealed that individuals who ate a lot of processed meat were more likely

to be obese, smoke, and have other behaviours known to harm health. However, even after accounting for these risk factors, processed meat still posed a threat to health. The study authors

reported: "Significant associations with processed meat intake were observed for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and 'other causes of death'. The consumption of poultry was

not related to all-cause mortality. "The results of our analysis support a moderate positive association between processed meat consumption and mortality, in particular due to

cardiovascular diseases, but also to cancer." This is supported by research by Edinburgh University published in The Lancet Planetary Health. Researchers concluded that cutting down

processed meat consumption by 30 per cent could yield substantial health benefits. Specifically, the team estimated that such a reduction in the US could prevent: * 353,000 fewer cases of

type 2 diabetes * 92,500 fewer cases of cardiovascular disease * 53,300 fewer cases of bowel cancer. Additionally, this decrease could result in 16,700 fewer deaths from all causes. With

data covering over 242 million adults, this effect is akin to ditching 10 slices of bacon each week. For this study, researchers employed computer modelling to investigate the potential

effects of reducing consumption of both processed and unprocessed red meat on public health, with the most significant findings related to processed meats like bacon and sausages. However,

limiting unprocessed red meat intake also showed benefits. Meanwhile, a separate study published in the Neurology journal revealed that consuming processed red meat daily can heighten the

risk of dementia. The study found that individuals who consume over a quarter serving of processed red meat daily have a 13 per cent increased risk of developing dementia compared to those

with lower consumption. The authors of the study noted: "Higher intake of red meat, particularly processed red meat, was associated with a higher risk of developing dementia and worse

cognition. Reducing red meat consumption could be included in dietary guidelines to promote cognitive health." As per the British Heart Foundation (BHF), current UK guidelines recommend

limiting daily intake of red and processed meat to 70g or less.