Hopeful
03-25-2009, 02:36 PM
High consumption of red and processed meats is associated with a modest increase in total mortality, cancer mortality, and cardiovascular mortality among older Americans, according to a report in the March 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
In contrast, a high intake of white meat is associated with a small decrease in total mortality and cancer mortality, said Rashmi Sinha, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute and her associates.
The researchers assessed meat consumption and mortality using data from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. In that study, approximately 500,000 men and women aged 50-71 years were assessed in 1995 and then followed through 2005.
These study subjects resided in six states (California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania) and two cities (Atlanta and Detroit) at enrollment. During the 10-year follow-up, 47,976 men and 23,276 women died.
Compared with subjects in the lowest quintile of red meat intake, men and women in the highest quintile showed a modest increase in overall mortality (hazard ratios, 1.31 and 1.36, respectively). Similarly, compared with subjects in the lowest quintile of processed meat intake, men and women in the highest quintile showed a modest increase in overall mortality (HRs, 1.16 and 1.25, respectively).
This pattern held true for cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality as well.
An estimated 11% of deaths in men and 16% of deaths in women could be prevented if people in the highest quintile of red and processed meat intake decreased their consumption to the level in the lowest quintile, Dr. Sinha and her colleagues said (Arch. Intern. Med. 2009;169:562-71).
In contrast, there was an inverse association between intake of white meat and both total mortality and cancer mortality.
"The principal strength of this study is the large size of the cohort, which provided us the ability to investigate the relationship of many deaths within the context of a single study with a standardized protocol and a wide range of meat consumption," the investigators said.
The study was supported in part by a grant from the National Cancer Institute, and the authors did not report any financial disclosures.
In an editorial comment accompanying the report, Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., said the findings lend further support to physicians in advising their patients to consume smaller amounts of red and processed meats to lower the risk of chronic diseases and improve longevity.
The results also suggest that popular high-protein diets such as the Atkins diet may reduce caloric intake but do not benefit the long-term health of individuals if they rely on red and processed meats as important protein sources, noted Dr. Popkin of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (Arch. Intern. Med. 2009;169:543-5). Dr. Popkin stated that he has no financial conflicts of interest related to any food products, and he is not a vegetarian.
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In contrast, a high intake of white meat is associated with a small decrease in total mortality and cancer mortality, said Rashmi Sinha, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute and her associates.
The researchers assessed meat consumption and mortality using data from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. In that study, approximately 500,000 men and women aged 50-71 years were assessed in 1995 and then followed through 2005.
These study subjects resided in six states (California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania) and two cities (Atlanta and Detroit) at enrollment. During the 10-year follow-up, 47,976 men and 23,276 women died.
Compared with subjects in the lowest quintile of red meat intake, men and women in the highest quintile showed a modest increase in overall mortality (hazard ratios, 1.31 and 1.36, respectively). Similarly, compared with subjects in the lowest quintile of processed meat intake, men and women in the highest quintile showed a modest increase in overall mortality (HRs, 1.16 and 1.25, respectively).
This pattern held true for cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality as well.
An estimated 11% of deaths in men and 16% of deaths in women could be prevented if people in the highest quintile of red and processed meat intake decreased their consumption to the level in the lowest quintile, Dr. Sinha and her colleagues said (Arch. Intern. Med. 2009;169:562-71).
In contrast, there was an inverse association between intake of white meat and both total mortality and cancer mortality.
"The principal strength of this study is the large size of the cohort, which provided us the ability to investigate the relationship of many deaths within the context of a single study with a standardized protocol and a wide range of meat consumption," the investigators said.
The study was supported in part by a grant from the National Cancer Institute, and the authors did not report any financial disclosures.
In an editorial comment accompanying the report, Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., said the findings lend further support to physicians in advising their patients to consume smaller amounts of red and processed meats to lower the risk of chronic diseases and improve longevity.
The results also suggest that popular high-protein diets such as the Atkins diet may reduce caloric intake but do not benefit the long-term health of individuals if they rely on red and processed meats as important protein sources, noted Dr. Popkin of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (Arch. Intern. Med. 2009;169:543-5). Dr. Popkin stated that he has no financial conflicts of interest related to any food products, and he is not a vegetarian.
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