There’s no harm in partaking in a burger or steak every now and then, but research increasingly suggests that consuming too much red meat may lead to serious health consequences. A new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition really hammers that home: The findings show that eating too much red meat may cause diabetes risk to climb.
Meet the experts: Komal Patil-Sisodia, M.D., D.A.B.O.M., M.S.C.P., board-certified endocrinologist; Judy Simon, M.S., R.D.N., C.D., C.H.E.S., F.A.N.D., clinical dietitian nutritionist at UW Medical Center.
The data analysis included nearly 35,000 male and female participants with an average age of 46. The eligible participants were taken from the nationally representative sample of people who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which collects health information to assess diet, medical history, and other health behavior trends for the general U.S. population.
The researchers analyzed participant data from the NHANES alongside dietary recall interviews and self-reported diabetes diagnoses to investigate red meat intake’s impact on diabetes risk. In the end, the participants with the highest overall red meat intake showed 49% higher odds of diabetes compared to those with the lowest. Breaking down the data into processed and unprocessed red meat intake was also revealing. The results showed that those with the highest processed red meat intake had a 47% higher risk of diabetes, while those with the highest unprocessed red meat intake had only a 24% higher risk.
So, should you take this as your sign to adopt a plant-based diet? Here’s what experts want you to know.
Why are the findings significant?
“It’s estimated that 60 to 70% of Americans consume red meat on a regular basis (two to four times per week). This is a large percentage of the population,” explains Komal Patil-Sisodia, M.D., D.A.B.O.M., M.S.C.P., a board-certified endocrinologist. “When you layer on that roughly 40% of the population struggles with obesity or being overweight, the risk of developing type two diabetes increases significantly.”
The results of the study show that even slightly limiting your red meat intake could have major benefits. The data show that “each additional serving of red meat per day increased the risk by another 10 to 16%, depending on whether the meat is unprocessed versus processed,” says Dr. Patil-Sisodia. “This was independent of BMI/lifestyle and social determinants of health like the income level, food security, age, and sex.”
But the research doesn’t just reveal the drawbacks of red meat consumption; it also proposes a solution. “The most impressive finding was that replacing one serving a day of red meat with a plant-based protein, such as seeds, nuts, or legumes, was associated with 9 to 14% lower odds of diabetes,” explains Judy Simon, M.S., R.D.N., C.D., C.H.E.S., F.A.N.D., a clinical dietitian nutritionist at UW Medical Center. Replacing a serving with poultry, dairy, and whole grains also decreased diabetes risk by 11 to 12%, so you don’t have to cut out meat entirely to see the benefits.
How does diet impact diabetes risk?
Here, it’s important to distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. “Diet plays a highly significant role in your risk for developing type 2 diabetes,” which is often, in part, caused by lifestyle factors, Simon explains. “Increasing fiber and plant-based proteins and reducing red meat intake, along with regular physical activity, can greatly reduce your odds.”
“Foods that increase insulin resistance, like highly refined starches and sugars and processed meats, make the pancreas work harder and put people at risk for developing type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Patil-Sisodia adds. “I always counsel my patients to focus on incorporating fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean cuts of meat as well as heart-healthy fats, to help decrease that risk.”
Shifting in the direction of a plant-forward diet can have other benefits beyond reducing diabetes risk, according to Simon. “A more plant-forward diet reduces risk for chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease,” she says.
What does this mean for you?
Again, the results show that small dietary changes can make a big difference, so you don’t have to overhaul your eating plan overnight. Dr. Patil-Sisodia suggests starting small. “I’m always a fan of making sustainable life changes. If you find that you were eating several servings of red meat throughout the week, replacing one of them with a plant-based protein, poultry/dairy/whole grains will decrease diabetes risk,” she says. When you do eat red meat, Dr. Patil-Sisodia also recommends opting for unprocessed as opposed to processed options, given the difference in risk.
The bottom line
While the study offers a robust analysis, according to Dr. Patil-Sisodia, there are some limitations to consider. Most notably, the researchers “couldn’t distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes risk. The dietary data was also self-reported and relied on people remembering exactly what they ate. Lastly, because the study is a cross-sectional study, it can show a correlation, but it can’t prove that this causes diabetes. We need more research for that.”
Still, the results are clear: Making some simple dietary swaps could make a significant impact.
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