Yesterday, a study published by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researchers in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed strong evidence linking higher consumption of red meat with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes according to their official website.
Findings of the study indicate that individuals who consume two servings of red meat per week may have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who consume less. This risk appears to accelerate with increased consumption and applies to both processed and unprocessed red meat. Xiao Gu, the principal author of the study, highlighted the dietary guidelines that recommend limiting red meat consumption.
In light of the surging type 2 diabetes rates in both the U.S. and globally, these findings pose real consequences given the potential for associated health risks such as cardiovascular and kidney disease, cancer, and dementia. The study tracked and analyzed the dietary habits and health data of 216,695 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), NHS II, and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) over a period of up to 36 years. During this time, over 22,000 participants were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Research concluded that participants with higher red meat consumption, both processed and unprocessed, had a 62% higher type 2 diabetes risk than those with lower consumption levels. What's more, the risk rose 46% for each additional daily serving of processed red meat and rose 24% for every additional daily serving of unprocessed red meat.
Moreover, the study examined potential benefits of substituting red meat with alternative protein sources. It found that exchanging a red meat serving for nuts or legumes was linked to a 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and swapping red meat for a serving of dairy products led to a 22% risk reduction. According to Senior author Walter Willett, it would be beneficial for individuals concerned with their health and wellbeing to limit red meat consumption to about one serving per week.
The study results echo prior research trumpeting the health benefits of including plant-based protein sources like nuts and legumes in our diets. An article by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on legumes notes their dense nutrient, low fat, and high dietary fiber contents – prominent factors that make them an excellent dietary choice.
