A new study suggests that consuming 50 grams of red meat and processed meat daily, such as suya made of beef, pork, or lamb. could lead to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes over 10 years.
Analysis of two million people from 31 studies across 20 countries to find out whether there was a link between eating different types of meat and the condition, revealed that regularly eating 50 grams of processed meat a day was linked to a 15 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.
Similarly, eating 100g of unprocessed red meat a day – equivalent to a small steak – was linked to a 10 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes, while eating 100g poultry per day – such as a small chicken breast – was also associated with an 8 percent higher risk of the condition.
But further investigations to test the findings under different scenarios, weakened the poultry link.
Senior author of the paper from the University of Cambridge, Professor Nita Forouhi, said: ”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.
“It supports recommendations to limit the consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat to reduce type 2 diabetes cases in the population.
“While our findings provide more comprehensive evidence on the association between poultry consumption and type 2 diabetes than was previously available, the link remains uncertain and needs to be investigated further.”
Writing in the journal The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, the team said it is unclear exactly how meat consumption might affect type 2 diabetes risk.
They suggest several possible mechanisms, including that cooking meat at high temperatures might trigger an inflammatory response in the body and lead to insulin resistance.
Commenting on the findings Dr Duane Mellor, dietician and spokesman for the British Dietetic Association, said: ”The overall message to moderate meat intake is in line with national healthy eating guidelines and advice to reduce risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
“This includes eating a diet which is based on vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, peas and lentils along with some wholegrain and moderate amounts of meat and dairy with limited amounts of added fat, salt and sugar.
This should be accompanied by regular physical activity to minimise risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If people are considering reducing their meat intake, the nutrients found in meat must be obtained from other foods, these include iron, vitamin B12 and protein.
“It is important when considering reducing or taking a type of food out of the diet, that any replacement foods provide the same nutrients to maintain a healthy diet overall.”
Type 2 diabetes is a condition that causes a person’s blood sugar to get too high.
Type 2 diabetes is associated with being overweight and could be hereditary. The condition means the body does not react properly to insulin – the hormone which controls absorption of sugar into the blood – and cannot properly regulate sugar glucose levels in the blood.
Excess fat in the liver increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes as the buildup makes it harder to control glucose levels, and also makes the body more resistant to insulin.
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