Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Sorry, meat lovers: new research confirms health risks, contradicting optimistic 2019 report

New study examined whether meat eaters are more likely to get sick and die, whereas previous one reviewed existing research for evidence of meat-eating’s risks. A significant relationship exists between illness and death and people’s diets decades earlier

Eating red and processed meat is linked to higher rates of heart disease and death, says a large new study – a finding that would be met with a big “duh” if it didn’t come on the heels of a controversial report suggesting people don’t necessarily need to eat less meat.

The new research, published in the journal Jama Internal Medicine, found that eating two servings of red meat or processed meat weekly is associated with a 3 per cent to 7 per cent higher risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack and stroke, and a 3 per cent higher risk of death from all causes.

Eating two servings of poultry weekly was also linked to higher heart disease risk, but not overall mortality, said the study, conducted at Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in the United States. The study’s authors urged more research on poultry before making any recommendations on intake because the study didn’t look at how the food was prepared, such as whether it was grilled or fried.

Fish was not associated with ill health effects.

The findings are consistent with prior research that has linked meat with poor health outcomes, but can feel like whiplash given that a report, published in October in the Annals of Internal Medicine, said there was insufficient evidence to recommend people reduce meat intake. Some public health experts questioned the accuracy of those conclusions and some of the authors were later called out for not disclosing industry funding on other projects.

That report’s authors included researchers from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia and McMaster University, both in Canada, among others.

Such conflicting conclusions can paralyse consumers trying to make healthful choices, erode trust in nutrition science or encourage some people to throw up their hands and indulge in steaks and burgers with abandon.

Norrina Allen, associate professor of epidemiology and paediatrics at Northwestern’s medical school, and senior author of the new study, points out that the reports try to answer different questions. Her study examined whether people who eat meat are more likely to get sick and die, whereas the October 2019 report summarised existing literature to determine if there is enough evidence to show reducing meat intake makes a difference.

Asked for a takeaway, Allen said: “I hope people consider eating red and processed meat in moderation and try and consume more fruits and vegetables and whole grains.”

Nearly 30,000 men and women were included in the Northwestern study, which followed participants from six different long-term research cohorts for up to 30 years. It goes a few steps further than prior studies to isolate the effect of meat by controlling for individual risk factors and other aspects of a person’s diet, Allen said.

While the increased risk from two weekly servings is small – a serving being, for example, four ounces (113 grams) of unprocessed red meat or two strips of bacon – the risk increases the more meat people eat, the study said. The study does not establish causality.

The research has several limitations. A major one was that it was based on a self-assessment of what participants ate over a month at the start of the project, so any changes they made to their diets over the years were not taken into account. Participants were followed for a median of 19 years.

Allen said it’s notable that there remained a significant relationship between illness and death and people’s diets decades before.

“There is still a risk based on what you ate 20 years ago,” she said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
×