A 2019 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine created quite a stir when it concluded that red and processed meats were not a significant health concern. The observational study of 59,000 people compared the health outcomes of those who consumed large quantities of red and processed meats with those of people who consumed less. Their conclusion? “The magnitude of association between red and processed meat consumption and all-cause mortality and adverse cardiometabolic outcomes is very small.”
So is that a green light to eat all the lunchmeat and beef you want? Not so fast.
The study intentionally excluded people who ate no processed meats or were vegetarians. In studies comparing meat eaters to vegetarians, for example, the meat eaters have a higher risk of cancer, heart disease and death from all causes than those who ate little or no red or processed meats. As an example, a 2013 study published in JAMA found that vegetarians diets were associated with a 12% lower risk of death from any cause over the study period.
The best available evidence strongly suggests that reducing red meat consumption reduces the risk for both cancer and heart disease. According to Dr. Stanley Hazen, Section Head of Preventive Cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic, "Regardless of the type of study, research consistently shows that the more red meat you eat, the higher your long-term risk of getting and dying from cardiovscular disease. There is a clear association. And it’s been seen over and over in both men and women in various populations in various countries."
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