Eating just two servings of red meat per week increases diabetes risk, says Harvard

The consumption of red meat, particularly beef, has been a fundamental part of the diet of many cultures around the world for centuries. However, over the past few decades, much scientific evidence has accumulated suggesting that excessive consumption of red meat may be harmful to health.

However, a new study led by researchers at Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health, notes thatPeople who eat just two servings of red meat per week may have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. compared to people who eat fewer portions, and the risk increases with higher consumption.

People with type 2 diabetes have their body’s ability to produce insulin affected. Insulin regulates blood sugar, so This condition leads to high sugar levels that can cause cardiovascular and kidney disease, cancer, organ damage, blindness and dementia.

According to World Health Organization , the number of cases and prevalence of type 2 diabetes have increased steadily over the past decades. According to the last National Health Survey carried out in 2017, In Chile, 12.3% of the population suffers from diabetes. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly increased these figures.

The study was published in The American Journal of Clinical NutritionNew York analyzed health data from 216,695 participants. Researchers assessed participants’ diets using food frequency questionnaires every two to four years for more than three decades, recording this over time, More than 22,000 participants developed type 2 diabetes.

Researchers have found that eating red meat, including processed and unprocessed red meat was strongly associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Participants who ate more red meat had a 62% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who ate less.

One serving of unprocessed red meat is equivalent to approximately 90 grams of pork, beef or lamb, and one serving of processed red meat is equivalent to approximately 30 grams of sausages, hamburgers, bacon, salami or other processed foods.

According to the study, each additional daily serving of processed red meat was associated with a 46% increased risk of develop type 2 diabetes and each additional daily serving of unprocessed red meat was associated with a 24% increased risk.

“Our results strongly support dietary guidelines that recommend limiting red meat consumption and this applies to both processed and unprocessed red meat,” Xiao Gu, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said in a study. release .

Although the risk between red meat consumption and type 2 diabetes is already known from previous studies, this study, which analyzed a large number of cases of type 2 diabetes over an extended period, adds a level of higher certainty of the association.

“We found a modest but statistically significant increase in risk even with two servings of red meat per week, and the risk continued to increase with higher consumptions,” explains Xiao Gu.

The author explains that red meat is generally high in saturated fat and that previous studies have shown that saturated fat can reduce beta cell function and insulin sensitivity, leading to type 2 diabetes.

“Given our findings and previous work by others, “A limit of around one serving of red meat per week would be reasonable for people wanting to optimize their health and well-being,” said lead author Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition.

The researchers also found that it is positive for health replace red meat with other healthy plant protein sources, such as nuts and legumes, because they are associated with a 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes and a 22% lower risk if replaced with a serving of dairy products.

Red meat doesn’t just increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Research has shown that Eating excessive amounts also increases the risk of suffer from heart disease , liver diseases , obesity And cancer .

Actually, The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies processed red meats as a Group 1 carcinogen. , meaning it is known to cause cancer in humans, such as exposure to UV rays and smoking. Unprocessed red meat is classified as a Group 2 carcinogen, meaning it is suspected of causing cancer, like pickled vegetables and aspartame found in many brands of diet soda, he notes. National Geographic.

The authors who recommend a more vegetarian diet explain that in addition to health benefits, it would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, and provide other environmental benefits.