If you want to avoid diabetes, limit this type of meat consumption. Scientists warn

Scientists warn of an increased risk of diabetes when consuming red meat. Their studies clearly indicate that reducing meat in the diet will benefit everyone's health.

The popularity of vegetarian and vegan diets is increasing with subsequent scientific reports on the harms of meat. In "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition", Harvard scientists published a study that further tips the scales of victory towards those on a plant-based diet. Reducing red meat consumption might be a way to combat the growing threat of type II diabetes.

Worldwide, the number of type II diabetes cases is increasing. Although many people trivialize the threat, this disease is a serious burden on the cardiovascular system and kidneys. It can have a genetic basis, however, an unhealthy lifestyle contributes to it - primarily an unhealthy diet and a lack of physical activity.

Scientists from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston analyzed the health data of 216,695 individuals and assessed their daily diet. Fans of red meat will not be pleased.

Study participants completed special questionnaires in which they determined the frequency of eating meals every 2 to 4 years, for a maximum period of 36 years. During this period, type II diabetes developed in more than 22,000 participants. For those who reached for red meat twice a week, an increase in the risk of disease was observed. The less this type of meat was consumed, the lower the risk. Participants who ate the most red meat had a 62 percent higher risk of developing type II diabetes.

According to scientists' analysis, a plant-based diet may be helpful in reducing the risk of this metabolic disease. Red meat can be replaced in the daily menu with legumes, nuts or a moderate amount of dairy products. Plant substitutes reduce the risk of disease by as much as 30 percent.

- Taking into account our findings and the previous work of other scientists, it would be sensible to limit to about one serving of red meat per week for those wishing to optimize their health and well-being — says senior author Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition.