Red Meat Consumption Linked to Increased Type 2 Diabetes Risk

A comprehensive study analyzed data from 19 lakh adults across 20 countries and found a correlation between red meat consumption and higher type 2 diabetes risk. The research, published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal, reveals significant risk increases in various world regions, emphasizing the need to moderate meat intake.

Consuming red meat has been linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a groundbreaking analysis involving over 19 lakh adults from 20 countries, including Southeast Asia. This study provides the most comprehensive evidence to date, as published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal. The analysis revealed that habitual consumption of three types of meat—50 grams of processed meat, 100 grams of unprocessed red meat, and 100 grams of poultry—was associated with 15%, 10%, and 8% increases in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, respectively.

An international team of researchers from the US, UK, Brazil, Mexico, among other nations, indicated that meat consumption levels exceed recommendations in many parts of the world and are connected to non-communicable diseases like type 2 diabetes. They noted that previous evidence largely centered around high-income countries such as North America and Europe.

This study included data from 31 cohorts within the InterConnect project, comprising both published and unpublished scientific studies. Out of 19,66,444 participants, over one lakh developed type 2 diabetes during a follow-up period, typically spanning 10 years. Significant positive associations were found between unprocessed red meat and processed meat with type 2 diabetes in the Americas, Europe, and the Western Pacific region. Substituting processed meat with unprocessed red meat or poultry helped reduce the risk.

(With inputs from agencies.)