A large study has found that eating two slices of ham a day can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 15 percent.
More than 400 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, and lower limb amputations. Unlike type 1 diabetes, which is caused by a congenital inability to produce insulin, type 2 diabetes is caused by acquired factors such as diet. To prevent type 2 diabetes, maintain a healthy weight, move more, and improve your diet.
For this study, published in the journal Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK meta-analyzed previous studies involving 1.97 million adults from 20 countries in Europe, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific.
“Our study provides the most comprehensive evidence to date for an association between consumption of processed and unprocessed red meat and an increased future risk of type 2 diabetes,” lead author Professor Nita Forouhi of the University of Cambridge said in a report by The Guardian on the 20th (local time). “It supports recommendations to limit the intake of processed and unprocessed red meat to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the population.”
The researchers analysed data from 31 research groups through InterConnect, an EU-funded project to understand more about type 2 diabetes and obesity in diverse populations.
The research team found that habitual consumption of 50g of processed meat per day, equivalent to two slices of ham, increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 15% over the next 10 years. Consistent consumption of 100g of unprocessed red meat per day, equivalent to one small steak, increased the risk of diabetes by 10%. Habitual consumption of 100g of poultry (farmed birds) per day increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 8%.
When additional analyses were performed to test the results in different scenarios, the association with poultry consumption weakened, but the associations with processed and unprocessed red meat and type 2 diabetes remained consistent, suggesting further research on poultry is warranted, the researchers said.
The U.S. and U.K. health authorities recommend limiting daily intake of red meat and processed meat to less than 70g. According to the 2016 National Health and Nutrition Survey, the average daily intake of red meat and processed meat in our country is 79.8g.
Experts not involved in the study said the findings only demonstrated an association, not causation, but were consistent with current recommendations for a healthy diet.
Professor Navid Sattar, from the University of Glasgow, said: “Despite its necessarily observational nature, this is an important and well-conducted study. The data suggest that reducing red and processed meat in the diet could protect people not only from heart disease and stroke but also from type 2 diabetes, which is on the rise worldwide.”
Dr Duane Mellor of Aston University said the overall message of moderate meat consumption was consistent with advice to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by including a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, peas and lentils. “To minimise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, regular physical activity must be included,” Mellor added.
Researchers at Harvard University in the United States also recently announced the results of a study showing that consuming a lot of heme iron, which is found in red meat such as beef and pork, increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 26%.
Reporter Park Hae-sik, Donga.com [email protected]
2024-08-21 17:41:24