London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

Sorry, meat lovers: new research confirms health risks, contradicting optimistic 2019 report

New study examined whether meat eaters are more likely to get sick and die, whereas previous one reviewed existing research for evidence of meat-eating’s risks. A significant relationship exists between illness and death and people’s diets decades earlier

Eating red and processed meat is linked to higher rates of heart disease and death, says a large new study – a finding that would be met with a big “duh” if it didn’t come on the heels of a controversial report suggesting people don’t necessarily need to eat less meat.

The new research, published in the journal Jama Internal Medicine, found that eating two servings of red meat or processed meat weekly is associated with a 3 per cent to 7 per cent higher risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack and stroke, and a 3 per cent higher risk of death from all causes.

Eating two servings of poultry weekly was also linked to higher heart disease risk, but not overall mortality, said the study, conducted at Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in the United States. The study’s authors urged more research on poultry before making any recommendations on intake because the study didn’t look at how the food was prepared, such as whether it was grilled or fried.

Fish was not associated with ill health effects.

The findings are consistent with prior research that has linked meat with poor health outcomes, but can feel like whiplash given that a report, published in October in the Annals of Internal Medicine, said there was insufficient evidence to recommend people reduce meat intake. Some public health experts questioned the accuracy of those conclusions and some of the authors were later called out for not disclosing industry funding on other projects.

That report’s authors included researchers from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia and McMaster University, both in Canada, among others.

Such conflicting conclusions can paralyse consumers trying to make healthful choices, erode trust in nutrition science or encourage some people to throw up their hands and indulge in steaks and burgers with abandon.

Norrina Allen, associate professor of epidemiology and paediatrics at Northwestern’s medical school, and senior author of the new study, points out that the reports try to answer different questions. Her study examined whether people who eat meat are more likely to get sick and die, whereas the October 2019 report summarised existing literature to determine if there is enough evidence to show reducing meat intake makes a difference.

Asked for a takeaway, Allen said: “I hope people consider eating red and processed meat in moderation and try and consume more fruits and vegetables and whole grains.”

Nearly 30,000 men and women were included in the Northwestern study, which followed participants from six different long-term research cohorts for up to 30 years. It goes a few steps further than prior studies to isolate the effect of meat by controlling for individual risk factors and other aspects of a person’s diet, Allen said.

While the increased risk from two weekly servings is small – a serving being, for example, four ounces (113 grams) of unprocessed red meat or two strips of bacon – the risk increases the more meat people eat, the study said. The study does not establish causality.

The research has several limitations. A major one was that it was based on a self-assessment of what participants ate over a month at the start of the project, so any changes they made to their diets over the years were not taken into account. Participants were followed for a median of 19 years.

Allen said it’s notable that there remained a significant relationship between illness and death and people’s diets decades before.

“There is still a risk based on what you ate 20 years ago,” she said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
×