A Diet Rich in Animal Protein and Meat Linked to Greater Risk of Death

From the University of Eastern Finland, some researchers have discovered that food rich in animal protein and meat, in particular, is not good for the health, offering further backing to earlier evidence from studies.

Men who have a higher preference for animal protein over plant-based protein in their diet had a higher risk of death in a 20-year follow-up than men that favor much more balanced diet in terms of their protein source. The researchers published these studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

For men that take animal-based as their primary sources of protein had a 23 percent higher risk of death during the follow-up than men who prefer to have the equal percentage of plant-based and animal protein in their diet.

The adverse effects have a connection with the high intake of meat in particular. Men that eat a diet rich in meat, that is, more than 200 grams per day, had a 23 percent greater risk of death during the follow-up than men who intake of meat was less than 100 grams per day.

In the study, the participating men mainly ate red meats. And as an example, the recommended maximum intake per week is 500 grams in Finland.

As also found in the study is the connection of a high overall intake of dietary protein with a greater risk of death in men who have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, or cancer at the onset of the study.

But in men without these diseases, the study did not find a similar connection in them. The highlight of the study is the need to investigate the health effects of protein intake particularly in individuals who have a pre-existing chronic medical condition. The participating men's mean age in the study was 53 years at the onset, and diets lacking in protein were not typical among the study population.

Ph.D. Student Heli Virtanen from the University of Eastern Finland pointed out that the findings in the study must not be generalized to older people who are at a more significant hazard of undernourishment and whose intake of protein regularly remains less than the recommended amount.

According to the earlier research, there was a link of an increased risk of death with a high intake of animal protein, particularly the consumption of processed meats such as cold cuts and sausages. However, the big picture associated with the health effects of protein and the different protein sources remains uncertain.