The World Health Organisation (WHO) and several national dietary advice bodies around the world have recently recommended a reduction in the consumption of red and processed meats, based on consistent evidence that links highly processed meat with colorectal cancer in particular.
While there is a body of evidence that suggests the association between red meat consumption, there is a paucity of evidence to link the intake of poultry meat and the incidence of major non-cancerous health outcomes. More recent findings from a study using 474,985 middle-aged adults recruited to the UK Biobank study between 2006 and 2010 have analyzed meat consumption more widely, and its association with 25 common conditions. this recent study is important as it examines associations of meat intake with conditions other than the commonly cited colorectal cancer.
These findings, which were published in BMC Medicine, found that on average, participants reporting regular consumption of meat (defined as three or more times per week) experienced more adverse health consequences compared to those who consumed meat less regularly.In addition, higher consumption of unprocessed red, and processed red meat was associated with a higher risk of ischemic heart disease, pneumonia, diabetes, diverticular disease, and colon polyps. Higher consumption of unprocessed red meat alone was associated with a lower risk of iron deficiency amenia, however. With regards to poultry meat, participants had higher risks of gastroesophageal reflux disease, diverticular disease, gastritis and duodenitis, gall bladder disease, diabetes.
As seen with unprocessed red meat alone the consumption of poultry also lowered the risk of iron deficiency anemia. In quantitative terms, the study found that every 70 g of unprocessed red meat and processed red meat consumed daily increased the risk of heart disease by 15% and diabetes by 30% after accounting for other lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption, physical activity, and BMI. The risk of developing gastroesophageal reflux was increased by 17% and diabetes by 14% as a result of consuming poultry meat. Moreover, meat-eaters were predominantly overweight or obese, or high risk of developing overweight or obese. Consideration of the participants’ BMI attenuated the risk of these diseases.
