Diabetes Risk Increases with Meat Intake

Meat consumption is associated with risk for developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Researchers followed the diets and disease risk of 63,257 participants from the Singapore Chinese Health Study and found that those who consumed the most red meat (e.g., pork, beef, lamb), poultry, and fish had an increased risk for type 2 diabetes by 23, 15, and 7 percent, respectively, compared with those who consumed the least. In a separate analysis, the authors found that as heme iron increased, so did the risk for diabetes. Other studies have published similar findings, including the Adventist Health Study-2, which showed that as more animal products, such as red meat and fish, are included in the diet, increase for diabetes risk follows.