Red meat increases risk of diabetes

Little meat is better for your health, nutritionists recommend that a long time. Especially red meat from beef, pork or lamb is suspected to increase the risk for cancer or cardiovascular disease and thus increase the risk of death. Scientists now provide one more reason now and again to better salami, steaks or sausages refrain: People who eat red meat frequently have an increased risk of diabetes.

According to scientists, however, there is a simple way to reduce the risk of illness: Who replaced by the daily portion of meat protein-rich plant foods, fish or dairy products with low fat content, could reduce the likelihood of diabetes by up to one third.
Even unprocessed red meat unhealthy

Particularly strong is the relationship between meat consumption and diabetes risk in the consumption of processed pork and beef products, the researchers report. It had already hinted earlier studies which suggested a waiver of treated especially red meat such as ham, salami, sausage or bacon. But the consumption of unprocessed red meat is unhealthy, according to the current study. The researchers published their findings by Dr. Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, now in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition".

"Given the worldwide epidemic rise of type 2 diabetes and the increasing consumption of red meat have the results of this study is of great importance to public health," says Hu, who heads the research team.

According to the World Health Organization, 346 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes. In Germany, the metabolic disease in more than seven million people are diagnosed. Ninety percent of them suffer from Type 2, the so-called adult onset diabetes. At its formation, factors such as obesity, unhealthy diet and lack of a role.

Were evaluated for their extensive study, Hu and his colleagues are using data from three long-term studies, attended by over a period of 14, 20 and 28 years total more than 200,000 people. The subjects gave every four years for information about their diet. A total of 13 759 participants fell ill during the time of type 2 diabetes

For each of the three individual studies was to demonstrate a clear link between the consumption of red meat and the risk of disease. White meat chicken, for example, turkey and other poultry is considered to be of less concern.
Some 50 grams of meat increase risk

For a summary of statistical analysis that took into account results of other studies, the researchers used data from more than 442 000 people. This resulted in: Even a 100-gram steak increases the risk of diabetes with daily consumption by 19 percent. This value actually rose to 51 percent if 50 grams of sausage a day - and processed red meat - was consumed.

A replacement of daily meat servings whole grain products, nuts or low-fat dairy products would reduce the likelihood of disease by 16 to 35 percent, were the calculations of scientists.

Why red meat increases the risk of diabetes, according to Hu and colleagues could be explained by different mechanisms: Who often eats steak or sausage, taking on large amounts of iron. This could increase the oxidative stress in cells, which in turn could damage the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. The particularly strong negative effect of processed red meat may be due to the high content of sodium and nitrite in these products. Would also take into account that people who eat more meat, more prone to obesity, which is known to increase the risk of diabetes.