The study confirms that we must move away from questioning the role of red and processed meat in the diet and act upon these research findings by replacing them with healthier plant-based sources of protein.
JONATHAN CHADWICK: UK scientists have linked the consumption of any form of red meat – such as beef, lamb and pork – with a decline in heart function. The researchers, who studied nearly 20,000 individuals, found that greater intake of red and processed meat was linked with a decline in three different measures of heart health… There is some evidence that red meat alters the gut microbiome, leading to higher levels of certain metabolites in the blood, which have in turn been linked to greater risk of heart disease…
Red meat consumption has already been linked to heart disease – the world’s biggest killer… Only last month did another team of researchers from Canada link cardiovascular disease events, like heart attack and stroke, with processed meat consumption. A 2018 study, meanwhile, found regular consumption of red meat can raise levels of a cardiovascular disease-causing chemical more than 10 times…
‘Previous studies have shown links between greater red meat consumption and increased risk of heart attacks or dying from heart disease,’ said study author Dr Zahra Raisi-Estabragh of Queen Mary University of London. ‘For the first time, we examined the relationships between meat consumption and imaging measures of heart health. ‘This may help us to understand the mechanisms underlying the previously observed connections with cardiovascular disease.’
The study included 19,408 participants of the UK Biobank – a long-term study investigating the contribution of genes and the environment to the development of health problems. The researchers examined associations of self-reported intake of red and processed meat with heart anatomy and function… Three types of heart measures were analysed – one of which was the elasticity of the blood vessels, which is a sign of good health… The researchers found that greater intake of red and processed meat was associated with declined measures of heart health across all measures studied.
Specifically, individuals with higher meat intake had smaller ventricles, poorer heart function and stiffer arteries – all markers of worse cardiovascular health… Dr Shireen Kassam, a haematologist and senior lecturer at King’s College Hospital who was not involved with the research, said ‘several decades worth’ of observational data already shows eating red and processed meat increases the risk of developing and dying from coronary heart disease and heart failure. ‘It’s no surprise that participants consuming the most meat had evidence of impaired heart and blood vessel function,’ she told MailOnline.
‘The study confirms that we must move away from questioning the role of red and processed meat in the diet and act upon these research findings by focusing on effective and honest public health messaging to support citizens to remove these foods from the diet and replace them with healthier plant-based sources of protein. ‘This will not only improve human health but has co-benefits for planetary health’… Burger lovers could consider switching to the many plant-based alternatives that now line supermarket shelves – which are also better for the environment. SOURCE…
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