Contrary to previous advice, five new systematic reviews suggest that most people can continue to eat red and processed meats as they do today. The most important studies have shown that reducing has little impact on health.
A panel of international scientists has systematically reviewed the evidence and recommended that most adults should continue to eat their current levels of red and processed meat. The researchers conducted four systematic reviews, focusing on randomized controlled trials and observational studies, looking at the impact of red meat and processed meat consumption on cardiometabolic and cancer outcomes.
In one review of 12 studies involving 54,000 people, the researchers found no statistically significant or important association between meat consumption and risk of heart disease, diabetes or cancer. In three systematic reviews of cohort studies that followed millions of people, there was a very small reduction in risk in those who had three fewer servings of red or processed meat per week, but the association was uncertain.
The authors also conducted a fifth systematic review that looked at people's attitudes and health-related values around eating red and processed meat. They found that people eat meat because they consider it healthy, they like the taste and are reluctant to change their diet.
The guideline committee chair, said the research group, which includes a panel of 14 members from seven countries, used a rigorous systematic assessment methodology and GRADE methods that assess the certainty of evidence for each outcome, from evidence to dietary recommendations to develop their guidelines. /P>
“There is a worldwide interest in nutrition and in particular the issue of red meat. People should be able to make decisions about their own diet based on the best information available,” he said.
The research team realizes that their work conflicts with many current dietary guidelines.
“This is not just another study on red and processed meats, but a series of high-quality systematic reviews that result in recommendations that we believe are much more transparent, are more robust and reliable”, says the researcher.
He added:“We have focused solely on health outcomes and have not considered animal welfare or environmental concerns in making our recommendations.
“However, we are sympathetic to animal welfare and the environment, as a number of guideline panel members have eliminated or reduced their personal intake of red and processed meat for these reasons.”
The accompanying editorial by authors from the Indiana University School of Medicine said:“This is certainly controversial, but is based on the most comprehensive review of the evidence to date. Because that assessment is inclusive, those who try to dispute it will have a hard time finding appropriate evidence to build an argument.”
Other researchers involved in the work included those from the Netherlands, Poland and Spain, and the guideline committee included both lay people and scientists.
