High processed meat consumption is a risk factor of type 2 diabetes in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention study

Abstract

Relatively small lifestyle modifications related to weight reduction, physical activity and diet has been shown to decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes. Connected with diet, low consumption of meat has been suggested as a protective factor of diabetes. The aim was to examine the association between the consumption of total meat or the specific types of meat and risk of type 2 diabetes. The ATBC cohort included middle aged male smokers. During up to 12 years of follow-up, 1098 incident cases of diabetes were diagnosed from 24,845 participants through the nationwide register. Food consumption was assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire. In the age and intervention group adjusted model, high total meat consumption was a risk factor of type 2 diabetes (relative risk (RR) 1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23, 1.82, highest vs. lowest quintile). The result was similar after adjustment for environmental factors and foods related to diabetes and meat consumption. The RR of type 2 diabetes was 1.37 for processed meat (95% CI: 1.11, 1.71) in the multivariate model. The results were explained more by intakes of sodium than intakes of saturated fatty acids, protein, cholesterol, heme iron, magnesium and nitrate, and were not modified by obesity. No association was found between red meat, poultry and the risk of type 2 diabetes. In conclusion, it may help to prevent the global epidemic of type 2 diabetes by reducing the consumption of processed meat. It seems that sodium of processed meat may explain the association.

Association between dietary meat consumption and incident type 2 diabetes: the EPIC-InterAct study

“…In a study aimed to examine the association between meat consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in a large cohort of Finnish middle-aged male smokers [9], over 1,000 incident cases of diabetes were identified in 12 years of follow-up. High total and processed meat consumption emerged as risk factors for type 2 diabetes with 50% and 37% increased adjusted risks, respectively, in the highest vs the lowest quintiles.…”

“…More recently, several studies have been conducted in European countries confirming the association between meat consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in European populations [7][8][9][10][11].…”

Red Meat Consumption and Risk of Stroke in Swedish Women

“…25 A lowsodium diet has also been found to decrease oxidative stress and to improve vascular function in salt-sensitive individuals, 26 and a high sodium intake may promote vascular stiffness. 27 Several prospective studies have observed a positive association between processed meat consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes, 4,28,29 which is a risk factor for cerebral infarction.…”

A review of potential metabolic etiologies of the observed association between red meat consumption and development of type 2 diabetes mellitus

“…The Alpha-Tocopherol, Betacarotene Cancer Prevention study of 24,845 participants with 1098 incident cases of diabetes during 12 years of follow-up [41] found a relative risk (RR) of 1.37 (95% CI 1.11-1.71, P = 0.001) for 139 g of processed meat per day compared with 28 g per day in a multivariate model. This association was markedly attenuated by an adjustment for sodium (RR 1.19; 95% CI 0.95-1.49, P = 0 · 10).…”

“…This association was markedly attenuated by an adjustment for sodium (RR 1.19; 95% CI 0.95-1.49, P = 0 · 10). This finding led the authors to conclude that the sodium content of processed meat increased the risk of T2DM more than SFA, protein, cholesterol, heme Fe, Mg and nitrate [41]. Processed meat was found to contain on average of 400 % more sodium than unprocessed red meats in the USA [12].…”