"The groundwork of all happiness is health." - Leigh Hunt

Red and processed meat are linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes

August 21, 2024 – Eating a hamburger or a couple of pieces of bacon each day can increase your risk of developing diabetes by as much as 15%. The form of meat eaten and whether it's processed can significantly influence the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes over a period of about 10 years.

That is acceptable According to a brand new study led by researchers on the University of Cambridge in England, this was also the case published Wednesday within the Journal The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. Nearly 4 in 10 U.S. adults have already got prediabetes and are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition that affects how the body converts food into energy. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed around age 45 or later and may cause serious complications akin to kidney disease. In 2021, type 2 diabetes was the eighth commonest diabetes Cause of death within the USA

Researchers in the brand new study wanted to know how consumption of unprocessed pork, processed meat and poultry affects the chance of type 2 diabetes. They considered known risk aspects for type 2 diabetes, akin to physical activity and body mass index, and used other statistical methods to isolate the association between meat consumption and kind 2 diabetes risk.

“Our research provides the most comprehensive evidence to date of a link between consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat and a higher future risk of type 2 diabetes,” said study writer Nita Forouhi, MBBS, PhD, professor on the University of Cambridge. “It supports recommendations to limit consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat to reduce cases of type 2 diabetes in the population.”

The researchers said it was unclear whether there was a link between poultry consumption and that further research into this possible link was needed.

The findings are the most recent in a growing collection of links between health problems and red or processed meat consumption. The study authors noted that scientists are still trying to know what happens within the body (often called “mechanisms”) after an individual eats meat that might trigger the event of type 2 diabetes. They found that possible causes include changes within the body's response to the hormone insulin, which could also be related to the high levels of saturated fat in red and processed meat. It has been shown that diets that limit or eliminate meat often lead to you consuming fewer calories less fat.

Another reason The reason regular meat consumption could increase your risk of type 2 diabetes is because those that eat more meat may additionally not be consuming as many healthy foods, akin to vegatables and fruits. Forouhi toldThe New York Times.

The study showed how much meat an individual ate repeatedly and what form of meat influenced the chance of type 2 diabetes. People who repeatedly ate 50 grams of processed meat per day, akin to two slices of ham, had a 15% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes over 10 years. Eating 100 grams of unprocessed pork, akin to a small steak, was related to a ten% increased risk. The researchers also reported that replacing processed meat with unprocessed pork or poultry could reduce an individual's risk of type 2 diabetes. Another recent study last yr also found that replacing other foods, akin to dairy products, nuts or legumes, to scale back pork consumption is related to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.