Eating red meat, particularly processed meat such as hot dogs, sausages or bacon significantly increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new research has found.
The study also shows that replacing red meat with healthier proteins, such as low-fat dairy, nuts, or whole grains, can significantly lower the risk.
Study leader An Pan, research fellow in the HSPH Department of Nutrition, senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH, and colleagues analysed questionnaire responses from 37,083 men followed for 20 years in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study; 79,570 women followed for 28 years in the Nurses' Health Study I; and 87,504 women followed for 14 years in the Nurses' Health Study II.
They also conducted an updated meta-analysis, combining data from their new study with data from existing studies that included a total of 442,101 participants, 28,228 of whom developed type 2 diabetes during the study.
After adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), and other lifestyle and dietary risk factors, the researchers found that a daily 100-gram serving of unprocessed red meat (about the size of a deck of cards) was associated with a 19 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
They also found that one daily serving of half that quantity of processed meat-50 grams (for example, one hot dog or sausage or two slices of bacon)-was associated with a 51 percent increased risk.
"Clearly, the results from this study have huge public health implications given the rising type 2 diabetes epidemic and increasing consumption of red meats worldwide," said Hu.
The study will be published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (ANI)