Takeaway
- According to a meta-analysis, consumption of unprocessed red and processed meat, but not poultry, may be a risk factor for ischaemic heart disease (IHD).
Why this matters
- Public health recommendations should encourage restricting the intake of unprocessed red and processed meat.
Study design
- Researchers at the University of Oxford and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust performed a meta-analysis of 13 studies (n=1,437,989), identified after a literature search across electronic databases.
- Funding: Wellcome Trust under Livestock, Environment and People - LEAP grant and others.
Key results
- Each 50 g/day intake of unprocessed red meat was associated with a 9% (relative risk [RR], 1.09; 95% CI, 1.06-1.12) increased risk of IHD.
- Each 50 g/day intake of processed meat was associated with an 18% (RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.12-1.25) increased risk of IHD.
- There was no significant association between poultry intake and the risk of IHD (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.97-1.07).
Limitations
- Variation in outcome definitions in the individual included studies.
This clinical summary originally appeared on Univadis, part of the Medscape Professional Network.
