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A global study has revealed a strong association between meat consumption, particularly processed meat and unprocessed red meat and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The findings supported recommendations to limit the consumption of both processed and unprocessed red meat for preventing the disease.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge analysed data from nearly two million participants across 20 countries, examining their meat consumption habits and subsequent development of type 2 diabetes. The paper, published in journal The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, looked at how unprocessed red meat, processed meat and poultry affect diabetes risk using global data with standardised methods.
Over a 10-year median follow-up period, 107,271 cases of type 2 diabetes were identified among 1.97 million adults.
The results revealed a consistent link between higher intake of unprocessed red meat, processed meat and poultry and a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Individuals who consumed 50 grammes of processed meat per day — equivalent to two slices of ham — were 15 per cent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years compared to those who consumed less. Similarly, those consuming 100 gm of unprocessed red meat daily — roughly the size of a small steak — had a 10 per cent higher risk.
While poultry consumption was also linked to a slightly elevated risk of type 2 diabetes — about 8 per cent higher risk — the association was less consistent and weaker than that for processed and unprocessed red meat. The strongest links were found in North America, Europe and the Western Pacific. The researchers also noted that the link between poultry and diabetes needed further investigation.
While previous research has suggested a link between meat consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes, the majority of it has focused on red meat in Europe and North America, with mixed and inconclusive results.
The analysis combined data from 31 studies in different regions, including the Americas, Europe and Asia. The research, part of the InterConnect project, controlled for factors such as age, gender, health behaviours and body mass index.
Professor Nita Forouhi of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, a senior author of the study, emphasised the significance of the findings in a press statement.
Our research provides the most comprehensive evidence to date of an association between eating processed meat and unprocessed red meat and a higher future risk of type 2 diabetes. It supports recommendations to limit the consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat to reduce type 2 diabetes cases in the population
Nita Forouhi, one of the authors of the study
The InterConnect project allowed researchers to analyse individual participant data from diverse studies and provided a robust foundation for this analysis. Chunxiao Li, the lead author of the study, highlighted the importance of analysing individual participant data rather than relying solely on published results. This approach allowed for a more standardised analysis and better control for confounding factors.
The findings of this study offer further support for public health guidelines that recommend limiting the consumption of processed and unprocessed red meat.
