Too much red meat ‘can increase risk of death’

Eating red meat has been associated with an elevated risk of all-cause mortality in a new study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

Data from two prospective cohort studies of more than 100,000 patients with repeated measures of diet and up to 28 years of follow-up has been analysed by researchers, finding that both processed and unprocessed red meat are linked to a heightened risk of death.

This trend was observed in terms of total death rates and fatalities from conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, with processed meat posing greater danger.

It was also found that substituting red meat for fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy products and whole grains can help to create an opposite effect.

Dr Dean Ornish of the University of California, San Francisco said in an accompanying commentary: "The food choices we make each day affect other important areas as well … Eating less red meat is likely to reduce morbidity from these illnesses, thereby reducing healthcare costs."

Meanwhile Victoria Taylor, senior heart health dietician at the British Heart Foundation, said red meat can still be eaten as part of a balanced diet, but care must be taken to select leaner cuts of meat.