Meat-Heavy Diet Linked to Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Eating meat on a regular basis may increase your risk for type 2 diabetes, according to a large new study.

Researchers say the link was especially strong with processed meat and unprocessed red meat, but more investigation is needed to determine the impact of poultry.

They analyzed data from nearly 2 million people who took part in 31 studies around the world and found eating 50 grams of processed meat per day was associated with  a 15% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.   

That’s equal to about two slices of ham per day.

Daily consumption of 100 grams of red meat – or a small steak --- raised the odds by 10%.

A smaller association was found between poultry and type 2 diabetes, but the senior author says it was less certain and needs to be investigated further. He says these findings support “recommendations to limit the consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat to reduce type 2 diabetes cases…”

Source: The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology

Author Affiliations: University of Cambridge