A new study has found that eating red and processed meat is linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The research, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, analyzed data from nearly 2 million people and provided strong evidence that consuming these types of meat regularly can increase the chances of getting type 2 diabetes in the future.
Over the past few decades, global meat consumption has skyrocketed, often exceeding dietary guidelines.
Previous studies have suggested a connection between eating processed meat (like ham or bacon) and unprocessed red meat (like beef or pork) and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
However, the results have been inconsistent, and more research was needed to confirm these findings.
In this new study, researchers from the University of Cambridge looked at data from 31 study groups across 20 countries, using the InterConnect project.
This large-scale analysis included a total of 1.97 million participants and took into account various factors such as age, gender, lifestyle habits, calorie intake, and body mass index.
The findings showed that eating 50 grams of processed meat per day—about two slices of ham—was associated with a 15% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the next 10 years.
Similarly, consuming 100 grams of unprocessed red meat daily—a small steak—was linked to a 10% higher risk of diabetes.
The study also examined the impact of eating poultry, such as chicken, turkey, or duck. It found that eating 100 grams of poultry each day was associated with an 8% higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
However, further analysis showed that the link between poultry consumption and diabetes was weaker and less certain compared to the strong associations found with processed and red meat.
Professor Nita Forouhi, a senior author of the study from the University of Cambridge, emphasized the importance of these findings.
“Our research provides the most comprehensive evidence so far that eating processed and unprocessed red meat is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes in the future. These results support recommendations to limit the consumption of these types of meat to help reduce the number of diabetes cases.”
The study’s use of the InterConnect project allowed researchers to include data from 31 studies, 18 of which had not previously published results on the link between meat consumption and type 2 diabetes. By analyzing individual participant data from diverse studies, the researchers were able to strengthen the evidence and minimize potential biases.
This study highlights the importance of being mindful of meat consumption and suggests that reducing intake of processed and red meat could play a significant role in lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
