A recent study shows that eating even two servings of red meat per week can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. As consumption increases, so does the risk. However, replacing red meat with healthier plant-based protein sources, such as nuts and legumes or dairy products, can reduce this risk. In addition to the health effects, choosing plant-based protein over red meat can help mitigate environmental concerns such as greenhouse gas emissions.
Switching from red meat to plant-based protein sources can reduce the risk of diabetes and bring environmental benefits.
A recent study from Harvard T.H. suggests that eating just two servings of red meat per week may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those who eat less red meat. Chan School of Public Health revealed. Research further shows that this risk increases with increased meat intake. However, replacing red meat with wholesome plant-based proteins like nuts and legumes or moderate amounts of dairy products can help reduce your chances of developing the disease.
The study was recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"Our findings strongly support dietary guidelines recommending limiting red meat consumption, and this applies to both processed and unprocessed red meat," said first author Xiao Gu, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Nutrition.
While previous studies have found a link between red meat intake and type 2 diabetes risk, this study further established this association by analyzing a large number of type 2 diabetes cases among participants who were followed over time.
Growing concerns and research methods
Type 2 diabetes incidence is increasing rapidly in the United States and globally. This is concerning not only because the disease is a significant burden but also a major risk factor for cardiovascular and renal disease, cancer and dementia.
For the study, researchers analyzed health data from 216,695 participants from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), NHSII and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). Diets were assessed with food frequency questionnaires every two to four years for up to 36 years. During this time, more than 22,000 participants developed type 2 diabetes.
Researchers found that eating red meat, both processed and unprocessed, was strongly associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Participants who ate the most red meat had a 62% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with those who ate the least. For each additional serving of processed red meat eaten per day, the risk of type 2 diabetes increased by 46%, while for each additional serving of unprocessed red meat consumed per day, the risk of type 2 diabetes increased by 24%.
The researchers also estimated the potential impact of substituting one serving of red meat per day for another protein source. They found that substituting a serving of nuts and legumes reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30%, and substituting a serving of dairy products reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 22%.
"Given our findings and previous work by others, consuming about one serving of red meat per week is reasonable for people who want to optimize health and well-being," said senior author Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition.
In addition to health benefits, replacing red meat with healthy plant-based protein sources will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate change and provide other environmental benefits, researchers say.