People with diets high in processed and red meat have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to new research.
The study, published in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, found that habitual consumption of 50g of processed meat a day is associated with a 15% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years, while the consumption of 100g of unprocessed red meat a day is associated with a 10% higher risk. Processed meat includes products such as sausages, bacon and cured meats.
Although habitual consumption of 100g of poultry a day was associated with an 8% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, further analysis under different scenarios showed a weaker association leaving researchers to conclude that more research is needed.
Type 2 diabetes affects more than 500 million people worldwide and is estimated to affect 1 billion people by 2050. It is a long-term condition that increases the risk of getting serious health problems related to the eyes, feet, heart and nerves.
Previous research has indicated that higher intakes of processed meat and unprocessed red meat are associated with a greater risk of type 2 diabetes, but the study authors said the results have been variable and not conclusive.
A team led by researchers at the University of Cambridge used the global InterConnect project to analyse data from 31 study cohorts in 20 countries, covering almost 2 million participants.
They said the findings highlight the importance of reducing meat consumption for public health and should inform national dietary guidelines.
Current UK dietary guidelines recommend that adults limit their average consumption of red and processed meat to 70g a day.
People from the European region whose data was used in the research reported higher consumption of processed meat than those in other regions, whereas those in the Americas region reported relatively higher poultry consumption.
“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,” said Professor Nita Forouhi of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge. “It supports recommendations to limit the consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat to reduce type 2 diabetes cases in the population.”
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