A new study links red and processed meat to a slightly higher risk of heart disease and death. Eating two servings of red meat, processed meat or poultry - but not fish - per week has been linked to a 3% to 7% higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating two servings of red meat or processed meat - but not poultry or fish - per week was associated with a 3% higher risk of all causes of death.
“It's a small difference, but it's worth a try to reduce red meat and processed meats such as pepperoni, lyonnaise and deli meats,” said study author Norrina Allen, a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine . “Red meat consumption has also been consistently linked to other health problems such as cancer.”
“Adjusting the intake of these animal protein foods may be an important strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death at the population level,” said lead study author Victor Zhong, assistant professor of nutritional sciences at Cornell University , who conducted the research as a postdoctoral fellow in Allen's lab.
The new findings follow a controversial meta-analysis published last November that recommended not reducing the amount of red meat and processed meat. “Everyone interpreted that it was OKeating red meat“But I don’t think the science supports that,” Allen said. “Our study shows that the association with cardiovascular disease and mortality is robust,” said Zhong.
The new study pooled a wide variety of samples from six cohorts. It included long follow-up data of up to three decades, harmonized dietary data to reduce heterogeneity, adjusted for a comprehensive set of confounding factors, and conducted multiple sensitivity analyses. The study included 29,682 participants (mean age of 53.7 years at baseline, 44.4% men). Diet data were self-reported by participants. They were asked a long list of what they had eaten in the past year or month.
The study also found a positive association between poultry consumption and cardiovascular disease, but the evidence so far is not enough to make a clear recommendation for poultry intake, Zhong said. Still, fried chicken is not recommended.
What should we eat then? “Fish, seafood and plant-based protein sources“such as nuts and legumes, including beans and peas, are excellent alternatives to meat and are underconsumed in the U.S.,” said study co-author Linda Van Horn, a Feinberg professor of preventive medicine who is also a member of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee the USA is.
The article was published on February 3rdJAMA Internal Medicinepublished.
