UK nutritionists question US study linking red meat to diabetes

People who eat two servings of red meat a week are at increased risk of developing diabetes, a new US study claims, but UK nutritionists have discovered 'some shortcomings' in the research.

The Harvard School of Public Health also said that replacing red meat with plant-based protein sources or modest amounts of dairy foods was associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

But British nutritionists and food experts have delved deeper into the methodology of the study as 'the picture becomes much less categorical'.

Kate Arthur, lead nutritionist at AHDB, discovered 'some shortcomings that bear closer scrutiny', including the observational nature of the research and the potential for selection bias.

“The figures quoted in the media suggest that if you eat red meat every day, your chances of getting type 2 diabetes go up by 62%," she explained.

"However, this figure does not account for bodyweight, and the study did report that if when you adjusted for BMI (body mass index) the risk was 12%, therefore significantly lower to what has been reported in the press release and subsequent media”.

Award-winning dietitian and health writer Dr Carrie Ruxton also weighed in on the debate, saying the study was "observational, which means it isn’t designed to test cause and effect".

"We know from intervention trials that diets with lean red meat have a neutral effect of blood sugar and insulin levels," she explained.

"This conflicts with observational studies suggesting a link with diabetes. We also know that Americans diets vary from those in the UK, which could impact the results of this study.”

And AHDB cautioned that “rather than making drastic dietary changes based on a single study, it’s wiser to consider the entirety of the evidence".

"Especially from systematic reviews and meta-analyses (global health-based research), which are considered the gold standard in research methods," the levy board said.

"When evaluating studies about meat and health, it’s essential to be circumspect and account for other potential factors at play.”

Dr Carrie Ruxton added that from a consumption standpoint, red meat, naturally rich in iron, B12 and a range of other micronutrients, continued to be an "important part of a healthy, balanced diet".

She said a further decline in meat consumption could put the public at risk of missing out on some essential nutrients, for which plant-based proteins cannot replace.

“Scotland is one of the most sustainable places in the world to produce high-quality, nutritious, red meat," Ms Ruxton said.

The Harvard School of Public Health study was published on 19 October in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.