(HealthDay News) — Reductions in processed meat and unprocessed red meat consumption could result in fewer occurrences of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer and all-cause deaths, according to a study published in the July issue of The Lancet Planetary Health.
Joe Kennedy, PhD, from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, and colleagues developed a microsimulation model to estimate how reductions in processed meat and unprocessed red meat could affect the rates of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer and mortality in US adults. A total of 8,665 individual respondents were included in the simulated population, representing 242 million US adults.
The researchers estimated that a reduction of 30% in processed meat intake alone could result in 352,900; 92,500; and 53,300 fewer occurrences of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer, respectively, and 16,700 fewer all-cause deaths during a 10-year period. A 30% reduction in unprocessed red meat intake alone could lead to 732,600; 291,500; and 32,200 fewer occurrences of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer, respectively, and 46,100 fewer all-cause deaths. A 30% reduction in both processed meat and unprocessed red meat intake could result in 1,073,400; 382,400; and 84,400 fewer occurrences of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer, respectively, and 62,200 fewer all-cause deaths during a 10-year period.
“Although the USA has not yet adopted a meat-reduction target and no policies are currently in place with the explicit aim of reducing meat intake, many national and international organizations have called for such reductions,” the authors write.
