Red Meat - Health Concerns
Connection With Cancer
- Red meat and colorectal cancer: a critical summary of prospective epidemiologic studies
"Colinearity between red meat intake and other dietary factors (e.g. Western lifestyle, high intake of refined sugars and alcohol, low intake of fruits, vegetables and fibre) and behavioural factors (e.g. low physical activity, high smoking prevalence, high body mass index) limit the ability to analytically isolate the independent effects of red meat consumption. Because of these factors, the currently available epidemiologic evidence is not sufficient to support an independent positive association between red meat consumption and colorectal cancer. - Meta-analysis of prospective studies of red meat consumption and colorectal cancer
"The available epidemiologic data are not sufficient to support an independent and unequivocal positive association between red meat intake and CRC. This conclusion is based on summary associations that are weak in magnitude, heterogeneity across studies, inconsistent patterns of associations across the subgroup analyses, and the likely influence of confounding by other dietary and lifestyle factors."
Connection With Heart Disease and or Diabetes
No strong evidence that red meat has a link to heart disease or diabetes. There is a potential link to 'processed' meat but it is also confounded with other lifestyle factors.
- Red and processed meat consumption and risk of incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
"Consumption of processed meats, but not red meats, is associated with higher incidence of CHD and diabetes mellitus. These results highlight the need for better understanding of potential mechanisms of effects and for particular focus on processed meats for dietary and policy recommendations." - Meat consumption and mortality--results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
"The results of our analysis support a moderate positive association between processed meat consumption and mortality, in particular due to cardiovascular diseases, but also to cancer."
