Red meat, especially fatty cuts, can be high in saturated fats and cholesterol, both of which are known to contribute to insulin resistance, a crucial factor in the development of type 2 diabetes. It includes heme iron, which can cause oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which are linked to insulin resistance and the risk of diabetes.
According to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researchers, persons who consume just two servings of red meat per week may have an elevated risk of getting type 2 diabetes compared to people who eat less meals, and the risk increases with higher consumption. They also found that replacing red meat with healthy plant-based protein sources, such as nuts and legumes, or modest amounts of dairy foods, was associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition will publish the findings.
“Our findings strongly support dietary guidelines that recommend limiting red meat consumption, and this applies to both processed and unprocessed red meat,” said Xiao Gu, first author and postdoctoral research researcher in the Department of Nutrition.
Our findings strongly support dietary guidelines that recommend limiting red meat consumption, and this applies to both processed and unprocessed red meat.
Xiao Gu
While earlier studies have indicated a link between red meat consumption and type 2 diabetes risk, this study, which looked at a significant number of type 2 diabetes cases among patients who were tracked for years, adds a greater level of certainty to the association.
Type 2 diabetes rates are quickly rising in the United States and around the world. This is alarming not just because the condition is a significant burden, but also because it is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease, cancer, and dementia.
The researchers reviewed health data from 216,695 Nurses’ Health investigation (NHS), NHS II, and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) participants for this investigation. Food frequency questionnaires were used to examine diet every two to four years for up to 36 years. More than 22,000 people got type 2 diabetes over this time period.
The researchers discovered that red meat consumption, both processed and unprocessed red meat, was substantially connected with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes. Participants who ate the most red meat had a 62% higher risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least. Every additional daily serving of processed red meat was related with a 46% increased risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes, while every additional daily serving of unprocessed red meat was associated with a 24% increased risk.
The researchers also calculated the possible impact of replacing one daily plate of red meat with another protein source. They found that substituting a serving of nuts and legumes was associated with a 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and substituting a serving of dairy products was associated with a 22% lower risk.
“Given our findings and previous work by others, a limit of about one serving of red meat per week would be reasonable for people wishing to optimize their health and wellbeing,” said senior author Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition.
According to the researchers, replacing red meat for healthy plant protein sources will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, as well as give other environmental benefits.
