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Are you worried about your risk of developing type 2 diabetes? You may want to pay attention to the meat you eat, according to a new study.
In particular, regular consumption of red and processed meat is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. This is the result of an analysis of data from 31 study cohorts published on Tuesday in the journal “The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology”.
The study is the most comprehensive to date to show the link between processed meat and unprocessed red meat and type 2 diabetes, said lead study author Dr. Nita Forouhi, professor of population health and nutrition at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, in an email.
Type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition that occurs when your blood sugar is regularly too high, is the most common type of diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. If left untreated, type 2 diabetes can lead to problems such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
More questions still need to be asked about meat, such as the risks of poultry and the potential impact of different cooking methods, said Dr. Hilda Mulrooney, a senior lecturer in nutrition and health at London Metropolitan University, in a press release. She was not involved in the study.
However, the new research is in line with current dietary guidelines that recommend reducing meat consumption, Mulrooney said.
Because it was an observational study, researchers could not conclude that meat consumption was the direct cause of diabetes, Mulrooney said.
But the connection is strong, said Forouhi, noting: “These results were consistent across populations in different regions and countries around the world.”
The researchers analyzed data from nearly 2 million people from 20 countries. The team also took into account factors such as “diet quality, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, energy intake and body mass index, which could influence the results and otherwise exaggerate or obscure the link between meat and type 2 diabetes,” Forouhi added.
However, the data did not allow researchers to take into account other factors that may contribute to type 2 diabetes, including family history, insulin resistance and waist circumference, said Dr. Duane Mellor, a dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and an honorary fellow of Aston University in the United Kingdom. He was not involved in the research.
These factors are more strongly associated with the risk of developing diabetes than the factors that the researchers could explain, he added in a press release.
“It is possible that the increased risk associated with consumption of processed and red meat could be a consequence of these other confounding factors,” Mellor said.
Despite these limitations, the findings of the new study and current dietary recommendations provide compelling arguments for reducing meat consumption, says Mulrooney.
“Meat consumption generally exceeds dietary recommendations,” she said. “Current dietary recommendations also recommend replacing red and processed meat with meats such as poultry and reducing overall meat consumption with alternatives such as peas, beans, lentils and tofu.”
Although there is still no clear research on whether there is a link between eating poultry and the risk of type 2 diabetes, the current study showed that replacing red meat and processed meat with poultry actually leads to a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, Mulrooney added.
“It is well known that the processed meats available, such as ham, sausages, bacon, hot dogs, salami or pepperoni, are generally highly processed, contain chemical additives and high salt content, making them unhealthy for a variety of health conditions,” Forouhi said.
There are many ways to limit consumption, such as “eating this meat less often, eating smaller portions or replacing it with alternative, protein-rich foods,” she added.
And in addition to a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts and beans, people concerned about diabetes should make sure to exercise regularly, Mellor advises.
