Hello, welcome everybody, this is doctor Bolad, board certified physician in cardiology, interventional
cardiology and internal medicine. I am here to help you with all the information you need
for your heart health and general health and informing you about all the latest treatments
in cardiology and medicine. If you are new to this channel, then definitely consider
hitting the subscribe button below and switch on the notification bell so you don’t miss
any new video that I post. For my international viewers outside the United States, you can
get translated subtitles for this video by pressing the closed caption – CC button
on the upper right part of your mobile device screen and selecting your preferred language
from the settings. There have been suggestions over the past
few decades that consumption of red meat and processed red meat are associated with increased
incidence of heart disease and other diseases. UNPROCESSED red meat, including beef, lamb,
veal and pork contribute several important nutrients like essential amino acids, vitamins
including B12 and minerals like zinc and iron to our diet. PROCESSED red meat includes sausages,
salami and bacon. These meats undergo treatments like salting, smoking and the use of chemical
preservatives and additives to increase its shelf life and improve its taste. The use
of red meat and processed red meat has been increasing globally over the past few decades
and so the question that lends itself is whether this increased meat consumption will lead
to more heart disease and other diseases globally. I hereby review a few scientific studies that
were published in reputable medical journals and review their results.
The most recent published study was the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study cohort from
the United States conducted between the years 1986 through 2016, results published in December
of 2020 in the British Medical Journal. In this study 43 thousand professionals including
dentists, veterinary surgeons, pharmacists, optometrists, osteopathic physicians and podiatrists
provided detailed information on their medical history, lifestyle, and typical diet. Questionnaires
were completed biennially to update information on potential risk factors and occurrence of
new diseases. About 10% of study participants suffered coronary heart disease events and
of whom less than half died as the result of the coronary disease event. The total,
unprocessed, and processed red meat intake were each associated with a modestly higher
risk of coronary heart disease, the risk was higher for processed red meat being 1.15 times
higher than those who don’t consume it, and it was 1.1% higher for red unprocessed
meat. Compared with red meat, the intake of one
serving per day of combined plant protein sources like nuts, legumes, and soy, was associated
with a lower risk of coronary heart disease. In another study published in the journal
Circulation in 2010, twenty studies were reviewed in a meta analysis to investigate the relationship
of red unprocessed meat, processed meat, and total meat consumption with incidence of coronary
heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus. Of the 20 studies, 17 were prospective cohorts
and 3 were case-control studies and included 1.2 million participants. Red meat intake
was not associated with coronary heart disease but processed red meat intake was associated
with 42% higher risk of coronary heart disease. In a third study published in the American
Journal of epidemiology in 2013, 9 prospective studies were included in a meta analysis and
included 1.3 million individuals. The consumption of processed meat and total red meat was significantly
associated with all-cause mortality. Unprocessed red meat was not associated with increased
death. In a fourth study published in the British Journal of nutrition in 2014, thirteen
studies that included 1.6 million individuals were reviewed. Red meat consumption was found
to be associated with a 16% higher risk of cardiovascular mortality. An increase of 100
gm per day in red meat intake was found to be positively associated with cardiovascular
disease death. Overall, the study indicated that processed meat consumption could increase
the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease, while red meat consumption was positively
but weakly associated with cardiovascular disease death.
In general these studies show a small rise in the risk of disease at levels of 50 to
100 grams, which is 1.8 to 3.5 ounces of red meat consumed daily, with processed meats,
which are salted, smoked, and cured meats, being associated with a higher risk. There
does not appear to be a measurable risk from eating red meat once or twice a week.
Other Disease Associations of red meat and processed red meat.
It is worth mentioning that trials have also shown that intake of red meat and processed
red meat is also associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke and colorectal
cancer.
Recommendations. The amount of red meat we should eat in a
week should provide a balance between the advantages of eating red meat which is a source
of essential nutrients and the disadvantages of increased incidence of cardiovascular disease,
diabetes and colorectal cancer. It's important to understand that although the studies mentioned
above link meat to poorer health, they do not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
On the other hand, the findings of many studies are consistent, strongly indicating that red
meat consumption does contribute to chronic diseases, with the risk highest with processed
red meat. Research indicates that eating 3 ½ servings of meat per week is associated
with a higher risk of disease and death. Putting this into context, a standard serving equals
about 3 ounces, a portion the size of a deck of cards. Eating a steakhouse filet, which
typically weighs 12 ounces, you consume roughly 3 1/2 servings in a single meal. The professional
body's recommendation is to eat less than this amount of red meat in a week. The World
Cancer Research Fund advises that we limit consumption of red meat to no more than three
portions per week. Three portions are equivalent to about 350 to 500g (about 12–18oz) of
cooked weight. They also advise that we consume very little, if any, processed meat.
If you have any questions about what I presented to you today, or any medical question in general,
then subscribe to my channel and share your question in the comments section below and
I will reply to you. If you have a question that you would not like to share in public,
then subscribe to this channel, follow me on twitter @DoctorBolad, and then send me
a private twitter Direct Message and I will reply to you. Please like and share this video
with family and friends. This is Doctor Bolad, helping you with your heart health, thanks
for watching, and talk to you soon.