In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat the Study FoundWhat These Findings Mean for Your Diet
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What the Study Found
What These Findings Mean for Your Diet
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Photo:Carol Yepes/Getty Images
Carol Yepes/Getty Images
Let’s face it: our dietary choices significantly impact our long-term health. Over recent decades, the rise in global meat production and consumption has far exceeded dietary guidelines in many countries. Studies have shown that diets high in processed meat and unprocessed red meat are linked to elevated risks of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. With heart disease and diabetes on the rise, understanding how your meat consumption affects your health is crucial for disease prevention and longevity.
A recent global analysis has uncovered a significant association between daily consumption of red and processed meat and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. This large-scale study, published inThe Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, highlights the critical importance of reevaluating your meat consumption as part of a diabetes prevention strategy. Keep reading to discover more about the study’s findings and what steps you can take to protect your health.
The researchers found that consuming 50 grams of processed meat daily—about two slices of ham—was associated with a 15% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the next decade. Eating 100 grams of unprocessed red meat daily, roughly equivalent to a small steak, was also linked to a 10% increased risk.
Nita Gandhi Forouhi, the study’s senior author and a professor with the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, said in a statement, “Our research provides the most comprehensive evidence to date of an association between eating red and processed meat and a higher future risk of type 2 diabetes. It supports recommendations to limit the consumption of red and processed meat to reduce type 2 diabetes cases in the population.”
While poultry consumption was associated with an 8% increased risk, this finding was less consistent. Further analysis suggested that the link between poultry consumption and diabetes risk was weaker than the link with red and processed meat.
“Previous meta-analysis involved pooling together of already published results from studies on the link between meat consumption and type 2 diabetes, but our analysis examined data from individual participants in each study,” explained Chunxiao Li, the study’s lead author and a research associate at the MRC. “This meant that we could harmonize the key data collected across studies, such as the meat intake information and the development of type 2 diabetes. Using harmonized data also meant we could more easily account for different factors, such as lifestyle or health behaviors, that may affect the association between meat consumption and diabetes.”
Complete List of Foods to Eat When You Have Diabetes—and What to Limit
Here are some practical dietary tips for reducing your type 2 diabetes risk:
The Bottom Line
The latest research fromThe Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinologyreveals a clear connection between daily consumption of red and processed meat and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. To reduce your risk and improve long-term health, consider limiting your red meat intake, eating more plant-based foods, choosing lean proteins and prioritizing whole foods. If you have any questions or concerns about your diet or diabetes risk, consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian.
These 3 Eating Habits Could Increase Your Risk for Diabetes, According to New Research
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.González N, Marquès M, Nadal M, Domingo JL.Meat consumption: Which are the current global risks? A review of recent (2010-2020) evidences.Food Res Int. 2020;137:109341. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109341National Cancer Institute: Cancer Trends Progress Report.Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption.Shi W, Huang X, Schooling CM, Zhao JV.Red meat consumption, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Eur Heart J. 2023;44(28):2626-2635. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehad336Li C, Bishop TRP, Imamura F, et al.Meat consumption and incident type 2 diabetes: an individual-participant federated meta-analysis of 1·97 million adults with 100 000 incident cases from 31 cohorts in 20 countries.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2024;12(9):619-630. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(24)00179-7ScienceDaily.Red and processed meat consumption associated with higher type 2 diabetes risk, study of two million people finds.Medawar E, Huhn S, Villringer A, Veronica Witte A.The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review.Transl Psychiatry. 2019;9(1):226. doi:10.1038/s41398-019-0552-0Du H, Guo Y, Bennett DA, et al.Red meat, poultry and fish consumption and risk of diabetes: a 9 year prospective cohort study of the China Kadoorie Biobank.Diabetologia. 2020;63(4):767-779. doi:10.1007/s00125-020-05091-x
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.González N, Marquès M, Nadal M, Domingo JL.Meat consumption: Which are the current global risks? A review of recent (2010-2020) evidences.Food Res Int. 2020;137:109341. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109341National Cancer Institute: Cancer Trends Progress Report.Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption.Shi W, Huang X, Schooling CM, Zhao JV.Red meat consumption, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Eur Heart J. 2023;44(28):2626-2635. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehad336Li C, Bishop TRP, Imamura F, et al.Meat consumption and incident type 2 diabetes: an individual-participant federated meta-analysis of 1·97 million adults with 100 000 incident cases from 31 cohorts in 20 countries.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2024;12(9):619-630. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(24)00179-7ScienceDaily.Red and processed meat consumption associated with higher type 2 diabetes risk, study of two million people finds.Medawar E, Huhn S, Villringer A, Veronica Witte A.The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review.Transl Psychiatry. 2019;9(1):226. doi:10.1038/s41398-019-0552-0Du H, Guo Y, Bennett DA, et al.Red meat, poultry and fish consumption and risk of diabetes: a 9 year prospective cohort study of the China Kadoorie Biobank.Diabetologia. 2020;63(4):767-779. doi:10.1007/s00125-020-05091-x
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
González N, Marquès M, Nadal M, Domingo JL.Meat consumption: Which are the current global risks? A review of recent (2010-2020) evidences.Food Res Int. 2020;137:109341. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109341National Cancer Institute: Cancer Trends Progress Report.Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption.Shi W, Huang X, Schooling CM, Zhao JV.Red meat consumption, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Eur Heart J. 2023;44(28):2626-2635. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehad336Li C, Bishop TRP, Imamura F, et al.Meat consumption and incident type 2 diabetes: an individual-participant federated meta-analysis of 1·97 million adults with 100 000 incident cases from 31 cohorts in 20 countries.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2024;12(9):619-630. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(24)00179-7ScienceDaily.Red and processed meat consumption associated with higher type 2 diabetes risk, study of two million people finds.Medawar E, Huhn S, Villringer A, Veronica Witte A.The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review.Transl Psychiatry. 2019;9(1):226. doi:10.1038/s41398-019-0552-0Du H, Guo Y, Bennett DA, et al.Red meat, poultry and fish consumption and risk of diabetes: a 9 year prospective cohort study of the China Kadoorie Biobank.Diabetologia. 2020;63(4):767-779. doi:10.1007/s00125-020-05091-x
González N, Marquès M, Nadal M, Domingo JL.Meat consumption: Which are the current global risks? A review of recent (2010-2020) evidences.Food Res Int. 2020;137:109341. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109341
National Cancer Institute: Cancer Trends Progress Report.Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption.
Shi W, Huang X, Schooling CM, Zhao JV.Red meat consumption, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Eur Heart J. 2023;44(28):2626-2635. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehad336
Li C, Bishop TRP, Imamura F, et al.Meat consumption and incident type 2 diabetes: an individual-participant federated meta-analysis of 1·97 million adults with 100 000 incident cases from 31 cohorts in 20 countries.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2024;12(9):619-630. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(24)00179-7
ScienceDaily.Red and processed meat consumption associated with higher type 2 diabetes risk, study of two million people finds.
Medawar E, Huhn S, Villringer A, Veronica Witte A.The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review.Transl Psychiatry. 2019;9(1):226. doi:10.1038/s41398-019-0552-0
Du H, Guo Y, Bennett DA, et al.Red meat, poultry and fish consumption and risk of diabetes: a 9 year prospective cohort study of the China Kadoorie Biobank.Diabetologia. 2020;63(4):767-779. doi:10.1007/s00125-020-05091-x
