2024-08-30 21:55:30
People who eat a lot of meat are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. A new study shows which types of meat particularly increase the risk.
Ham, schnitzel, liver sausage: Germans have a preference for meat and sausage products. For many, they are part of the daily menu. It has long been known that frequent meat consumption is not healthy. Sausage and red meat in particular can promote chronic diseases. But a study by researchers at the University of Cambridge (Great Britain) has now found out how significant the risk factor is for metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
The researchers analyzed data from almost two million adults from 20 countries in Europe, North and South America, the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and the western Pacific. The results were clear and worrying at the same time: They found that eating red and processed red meat increased the risk of type 2 diabetes the most – even in small quantities. According to the study, those who regularly consumed 50 grams of processed meat per day had a 15 percent increased risk of diabetes. 50 grams is equivalent to about two slices of ham.
For 100 grams of unprocessed red meat, such as a small steak, the risk increased by around 10 percent. And the consumption of poultry was also linked to diabetes. However, white meat increased the risk less than the other meat products: 100 grams of poultry per day was associated with an 8 percent higher risk.
Study leader Prof. Nita Forouhi from the University of Cambridge said: “Our research provides the most comprehensive evidence to date of a link between the consumption of processed and unprocessed red meat and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes in the future. It supports official recommendations to limit meat consumption.” There is no need to give up meat altogether.
And: The negative effects of poultry consumption have not yet been conclusively proven, so further research is necessary.
Meat production has increased significantly worldwide in recent decades, and consumption in many countries is well above the guidelines’ recommendations. The number of people who develop diabetes – at increasingly younger ages – has also increased. A number of studies see a connection between the two developments. The main causes of type 2 diabetes are obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle.
Currently, around eleven million people in Germany suffer from the chronic metabolic disease. In the long term, it can lead to serious consequences such as heart attacks, strokes or kidney failure. To reduce your own risk of disease, experts recommend a balanced diet with little red and processed meat.