red meat, cold cuts and chicken are to be avoided

Last October, a study sparked controversy by assuring that the consumption of red meat and processed meat had a low impact on health. And this, while the international health authorities recommend limiting it. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), for example, calls red meat “probably carcinogenic to humans“since 2015.

However, a few days after the controversial study was published, journalists from the World found that the authors failed to report their links to the food industry. A new study, published in the journal JAMA, ends the debate once and for all. According to these studies, eating two servings a week of red meat, processed meat or poultry increases slightly, but significantly the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

A risk that increases from 3 to 7%

“It’s a little difference, but it’s worth trying to cut down on red meat and processed meat like pepperoni, meatballs and deli meats“said Professor Norrina Allen, the study’s lead author in a statement. In reality, this”little difference“is 3 to 7% according to the researchers. To reach this result, the scientists analyzed the data from six American studies, gathering 29,700 participants. Their eating habits were evaluated between 1985 and 2002, and they were then followed until 2016 to observe the onset of cardiovascular disease or the occurrence of death. Thus, the researchers found that eating two servings per week of red meat, processed meat or poultry without eating fish was linked to a 3 to 7% higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

In France, we eat a lot of meat

In France, we are bad students regarding the consumption of meat, even if it tends to decrease. Indeed, 32% of the population eat a lot of red meat compared to the recommendations of Public Health France, 63% eat a lot of cold meats. The study authors recommend turning to “fish, seafood and vegetable protein sources such as nuts and legumes, including beans and peas, [qui] are great alternatives to meat“.

Other risk factors to consider

However, other factors can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as “genetic predisposition, demographic factors, socioeconomic status, weight, lifestyle factors (eg smoking, sleep, physical activity and diet) and the built environment“, the researchers list. Every year around the world, nearly 34,000 deaths are attributable to a diet rich in processed meats, according to the World Health Organization.

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