Health
Are chicken, red meat and processed meat safe to eat? New research strengthens the link with the risk of diabetes.
Topline
Consuming meat, especially red and processed meat, and even poultry such as chicken and turkey may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future, according to a new study published Tuesday. health problems, including heart disease, cancer, depression, anxiety and even premature death.
Red meat is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, researchers found.
Key facts
Regularly consuming processed meat and unprocessed red meat is associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the medical journal The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.
Although previous research has shown that eating more processed meat and unprocessed red meat is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, the researchers say the results have been unclear and variable, leading to confusing and often polarizing results. debates about whether the food is safe to eat and, if so, in what quantities.
To assess the link between meat and the risk of type 2 diabetes, the team led by researchers from the University of Cambridge analyzed existing data of nearly 2 million people in 31 study groups in 20 countries to see whether their eating habits were linked to a risk of type 2 diabetes, when other factors such as age, gender, energy intake, body mass index and health-related behaviors were taken into account.
The researchers found that eating 50 grams of processed meat per day – roughly equivalent to two slices of ham – was associated with a 15% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the next decade, and consuming 100 grams of unprocessed red meat. meat a day – the equivalent of a small steak – was associated with a 10% higher risk.
Nita Forouhi, professor of public health and nutrition at the University of Cambridge and senior author of the paper, said the study “provides the most comprehensive evidence to date” of a link between eating red and processed meat and a higher future risk of cancer. type 2 diabetes.
“It supports recommendations to limit consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat to reduce cases of type 2 diabetes in the population,” Forouhi said.
Is it safe to eat other meats such as chicken and turkey?
Poultry such as chicken, turkey and duck are often touted as a healthier protein source compared to red and processed meat. The idea is supported by research, which shows lower risks for many of the health problems associated with the consumption of red and processed meat cancerheart disease and diabetesbut it is a comparative issue and that does not mean that eating poultry is without risk. Research more and more indicates Regular consumption of poultry meat is associated with adverse health effects like gastroesophageal reflux disease, gallbladder disease and diabetes. Research on this association is more limited, the researchers noted, and took the opportunity to explore the potential link as well. They found that habitual consumption of 100 grams of poultry per day was associated with an 8% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the next 10 years. However, Forouhi warned that the evidence linking poultry consumption and diabetes was much weaker than that for red and processed meat when subjected to further analytical scrutiny. “While our findings provide more extensive evidence on the link between poultry consumption and type 2 diabetes than previously available, the link remains uncertain and requires further investigation,” Forouhi said.
Surprising fact
Although it is often considered a ‘white meat’ alongside poultry such as chicken, experts And supervisors say that pork is a “red meat,” just like beef, veal and lamb. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the distinction is determined by the amount of oxygen-carrying protein myoglobin in the meat, which determines the color of the meat. Pork is considered red meat because it contains more myoglobin than chicken or fish.
What to pay attention to
Mounting evidence about the negative health associations of eating different types of meat has sparked campaigns to limit consumption of red and processed meat, and sometimes meat in general. public health and to reduce the burden of diseases such as diabetes. In recent years, this health-based messaging has been accompanied by a more climate-focused approach, insist people to limit meat consumption as part of reducing their carbon footprint and tackling the climate crisis. Research has also increasingly identified potential health problems, such as heart disease and premature death, linked to ultra-processed foods plant-based ultra-processed food.
What we don’t know
Most research into food consumption and various health risks is observational in nature. This means that causal relationships are very difficult to determine. More research is needed – much of which would be difficult or impossible to conduct in humans – to establish causal claims, such as reducing red meat intake will reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
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