inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf

inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf
mosquito-borne diseases affect up to 700 million people each year. learn more
powered by: valneva canada inc.

cardiovascular disease and the link to processed meat

eating 150 grams or more a week was associated with a 46% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and 51% higher risk of death.

by brighter world, mcmaster university

apr 1 2021
read time 2 minute read
join the conversation
cardiovascular disease and the link to processed meat
a global study tracked participants' diets for a decade. getty
a global study led by hamilton scientists has found a link between eating processed meat and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. the same study did not find the same link with unprocessed red meat or poultry.
the information comes from the diets and health outcomes of 134,297 people from 21 countries spanning five continents, who were tracked by researchers for data on meat consumption and cardiovascular illnesses.
after following the participants for almost a decade, the researchers found consumption of 150 grams or more of processed meat a week was associated with a 46 per cent higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 51 per cent higher risk of death than those who ate no processed meat.
however, the researchers also found moderate levels of consumption of non-processed meats had a neutral effect on health.
“evidence of an association between meat intake and cardiovascular disease is inconsistent,” said romaina iqbal, first author of the study and an associate professor at the aga khan university in karachi, pakistan.
“we therefore wanted to better understand the associations between intakes of unprocessed red meat, poultry, and processed meat with major cardiovascular disease events and mortality.”
powered by
canadian society for exercise physiology

advertisement

the totality of the available data indicates that consuming a modest amount of unprocessed meat as part of a healthy dietary pattern is unlikely to be harmful, said mahshid dehghan, investigator for the population health research institute (phri) of mcmaster university and hamilton health sciences.
the prospective urban rural epidemiology (pure) study was launched in 2003 and is the first multinational study that provides information on the association between unprocessed and processed meat intakes with health outcomes from low, middle and high-income countries.
“the pure study examines substantially more diverse populations and broad patterns of diet, enabling us to provide new evidence that distinguishes between the effects of processed and unprocessed meats,” said senior author salim yusuf, executive director of phri.
participants’ dietary habits were recorded using food frequency questionnaires, while data was also collected on their mortality and major cardiovascular disease events. this allowed researchers to determine the associations between meat consumption patterns and cardiovascular disease events and mortality.
the authors believe that additional research may improve current understanding of the relationship between meat consumption and health outcomes. for example, it is unclear what study participants with lower meat intakes were eating instead of meat, and if the quality of those foods differed between countries.

advertisement

non-meat food substitutes may have implications in further interpreting the associations between meat consumption and health outcomes. nonetheless, the study’s authors believe their findings “indicate that limiting the intake of processed meat should be encouraged.”
salim yusuf, professor, medicine at mcmaster university.
this article was first published on brighter world. read the original article.

comments

postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. we ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. we have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. visit our community guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

you may also like
group of young female athlete doing warm up exercises during sports training at health club. focus is on happy woman in black.
international self-care day: are you practicing authentic self-care?
happy mother and daughter eat pizza in a cafe and having fun.
study links ultra-processed foods to increased risk of stroke and cognitive decline 
doctor holding red heart. selective focus, man's hands in close-up. concept of good health, cardiovascular diseases prevention, healthy lifestyle promotion, human organ donation, implantation
gut health and heart disease: study shows bacteria impacts cholesterol and cardiovascular health
woman choosing frozen food from a supermarket freezer
listeria 101: breaking down causes, spotting symptoms and preventing listeriosis
senior couple shopping vegetables and fruits on the market. healthy diet.
healthy eating and older adults: solutions to common challenges
you may also like
group of young female athlete doing warm up exercises during sports training at health club. focus is on happy woman in black.
international self-care day: are you practicing authentic self-care?
happy mother and daughter eat pizza in a cafe and having fun.
study links ultra-processed foods to increased risk of stroke and cognitive decline 
doctor holding red heart. selective focus, man's hands in close-up. concept of good health, cardiovascular diseases prevention, healthy lifestyle promotion, human organ donation, implantation
gut health and heart disease: study shows bacteria impacts cholesterol and cardiovascular health
woman choosing frozen food from a supermarket freezer
listeria 101: breaking down causes, spotting symptoms and preventing listeriosis
you may also like
group of young female athlete doing warm up exercises during sports training at health club. focus is on happy woman in black.
international self-care day: are you practicing authentic self-care?
happy mother and daughter eat pizza in a cafe and having fun.
study links ultra-processed foods to increased risk of stroke and cognitive decline