Weight Loss and Healthy Choices for 2016: Red Meat Could Lead to Earlier Death, New Study Suggests
Ditching red meat, eggs and dairy for more plant protein can lead to a longer, healthier life, a new study suggested.
The largest study on the effects of different dietary protein sources to date, researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) found that animal protein could lead to an earlier death, particularly if they eat processed and unprocessed meat over fish and poultry.
Meanwhile, people who ate more plant protein—beans, nuts, legumes, cereals, lentils, as well as bread—are associated with a lower-than-average mortality rate.
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To quantify the risk associated with each source of dietary protein, the study found that with each 10 percent increase in calorie intake from animal protein resulted in a two percent increase in mortality risk, and eight percent increased risk in cardiovascular disease.
Furthermore, the study also found that for every 3 percent increase in plant protein in their calorie intake, people enjoyed a 10 percent lower risk of death from all causes, and 12 percent lower risk in cardiovascular diseases.
Meanwhile, people can also increase their chances to a longer, healthier life by eating less processed red meat—bacon, sausage and deli meats—as well as fewer eggs.
The findings come as no surprise as the World Health Organization already named processed red meat to be one of the most unhealthy food sources.
But lovers of red meat need not fret, as the link to higher mortality rate is highly associated with those with at least one unhealthy factor—obesity, alcohol, smoking, among others.
In summary, the findings suggest that people should swap their animal protein for more plant protein, and should they have to choose among animal protein, fish and poultry are healthier choices.
The study is a result of two long-term studies done by the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. The researchers looked at more than 30 years of data and more than 170,000 participants, and documented more than 36,000 deaths, with nearly 13,000 from cancer and 9,000 from cardiovascular diseases.
The authors noted that while previous studies have suggested that substituting proteins for carbohydrates can have several benefits, relatively few have examined protein sources as being integral to long-term health.
Mingyang Song, a research fellow from the Harvard T.Chan in Boston, underlined the study's implications on public health, and can help "refine current dietary recommendations about protein intake, in light of the fact that it is not only the amount of protein but the specific food sources that is critical for long-term health."
