Diabetes type 2 risk increased by red meat
19 August 2011
Eating red meat leads to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, US researchers have warned.
In a meta-analysis of studies involving more than 440,000 men and women, the researchers found that a daily 100 gram serving of unprocessed meat was associated with a 19 per cent increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Processed meat was associated with an even higher risk. Just 50 grams - one hot dog or 2 slices of bacon daily - was associated with a 51 per cent increased risk.
In contrast, people were able to lower their risk when red meat was replaced with healthier foods, the researchers said (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2011; online 10 Aug).
Substituting one serving of red meat with one serving of whole grains was associated with a 23 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Other healthy substitutes included nuts (21 per cent lower risk) and low-fat dairy (17 per cent lower risk).
Last Reviewed: 19 August 2011
- 1. Pan A, Sun Q, Bernstein AM, et al. Red meat consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: 3 cohorts of US adults and an updated meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr 2011 Aug 10. [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.018978. http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2011/08/10/ajcn.111.018978 (accessed Aug 2011).
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