A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition analyzed data from the nationwide health survey NHANES collected between 2003 and 2016. In total, 34,737 adults were included.
Diabetes was identified based on a physician’s diagnosis, blood glucose measurements, or the use of medication. The study did not distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Meat and risk
The results show that individuals who consume the most red meat are more likely to have diabetes than those who consume the least.
The group with the highest intake had approximately a 49 percent higher likelihood of having the disease.
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Each additional daily serving of red meat was associated with about a 16 percent higher likelihood of diabetes.
This applied to both processed meat, such as sausages and deli meats, and unprocessed meat, including beef and pork.
The researchers accounted for factors such as age, gender, weight, physical activity, and other dietary habits.
No clear differences were found between various age or income groups.
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What can be chosen instead?
The researchers also examined what would statistically occur if red meat were replaced with other foods.
If one daily serving of red meat were substituted with plant-based proteins such as beans, lentils, or nuts, the likelihood of diabetes was approximately 14 percent lower.
Poultry, dairy products, and whole grains were also associated with a lower likelihood in the calculations.
The researchers emphasize that the study is cross-sectional. This means it cannot establish that red meat directly causes diabetes.
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However, the findings suggest that dietary choices may play a role in the risk.
Sources: News Medical, and British Journal of Nutrition.
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