In recent years, there has been growing concern about the impact of meat consumption on our health, particularly when it comes to diseases like type 2 diabetes.
A recent analysis published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology looked at the eating habits of nearly 2 million people and found a strong connection between eating certain types of meat and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Meat production and consumption have surged worldwide, with many people eating more meat than what is recommended for a healthy diet.
In particular, processed meats like bacon, sausage, and ham, as well as unprocessed red meats such as beef, pork, and lamb, have been linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes in past studies.
However, the results of these studies have often been inconsistent, leaving some doubt about how strong this connection really is.
Poultry, which includes chicken, turkey, and duck, is often seen as a healthier alternative to red and processed meats. But fewer studies have focused on whether eating poultry might also be linked to type 2 diabetes.
To better understand these potential risks, researchers at the University of Cambridge led a comprehensive study using data from the global InterConnect project.
They analyzed information from 31 different studies conducted in 20 countries, involving almost 2 million participants. The research took into account a variety of factors that could influence the results, such as the participants’ age, gender, lifestyle choices, and overall health.
The findings were clear. People who regularly consumed 50 grams of processed meat daily, which is about the size of two slices of ham, had a 15% higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes within the next 10 years.
Those who ate 100 grams of unprocessed red meat daily, roughly the size of a small steak, had a 10% higher risk. Interestingly, the study also found that eating 100 grams of poultry daily was linked to an 8% higher risk of diabetes.
However, when the researchers dug deeper, the connection between poultry and diabetes became less certain, whereas the link between red and processed meats and diabetes remained strong.
According to Professor Nita Forouhi from the University of Cambridge, who was a senior researcher in this study, the evidence is now stronger than ever that eating processed and red meat increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
She pointed out that these findings support current health guidelines that suggest limiting the intake of these types of meat to reduce the number of diabetes cases.
Professor Forouhi also noted that while the study provided new insights into the relationship between poultry consumption and diabetes, the results were less definitive and require further investigation.
The InterConnect project, which made this study possible, uses a unique approach that allows researchers to look at detailed data from individual participants across many different studies.
This method is more powerful than just relying on published results because it allows scientists to include a wider range of studies and reduces the chance of missing important data.
In this particular analysis, the researchers were able to include findings from 18 studies that had not previously published results about the link between meat consumption and type 2 diabetes.
By doing so, they significantly expanded the evidence base and helped to ensure that the findings were as accurate as possible.
In conclusion, this study adds to the growing body of evidence that suggests eating processed meat and red meat can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
While there is still some uncertainty about the role of poultry in diabetes risk, the findings emphasize the importance of moderating meat consumption, especially processed and red meats, as part of a healthy diet to lower the risk of diabetes.
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The research findings can be found in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
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