STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Moderate amounts of dairy products – such as milk and cheese – may protect against Type 2 diabetes, according to new research. On the other hand, red and processed meat raises the risk of diabetes onset.

Conversely, red and processed meat displayed a connection to higher T2D risks. Study authors recommend eating moderate amounts of fish and eggs as a substitute.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the condition, developing when the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin, or the insulin doesn’t work properly — meaning the patient has low insulin sensitivity.

Obesity is the main risk factor for diabetes and estimates project that cases will continue to increase in the coming years. Common complications for diabetics include heart disease, kidney disease, vision loss, and circulation problems — which can lead to limb amputations.

Are diets for diabetics all wrong?

Existing dietary guidelines recommended for preventing T2D focus on eating specific plant-based foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, olive oil. They also advise limiting consumption the of most animal products. However, not all sources of animal protein have the same nutritional value.

Researchers say knowing how different animal products affect T2D risk would allow health officials to update their recommendations — making it easier for people to choose the best foods to cut their risk of diabetes.

Dr. Annalisa Giosuè from the University of Naples Federico II and her team conducted a review of previous links between different animal-based foods and diabetes risk. They explain that this “review of reviews” provides one of the largest pieces of evidence available in medicine.

The analyses that made the cut for this study included 175 estimates of how much 12 different animal products – total meat, red meat, white meat, processed meat, fish, total dairy, full-fat dairy, low-fat dairy, milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs – change the risk of developing T2D.

Why is meat so detrimental to health?

Red meat includes beef, lamb, and pork, while white meat includes chicken and turkey. Processed meat includes products like bacon, sausages, and deli meat.

Results show a “substantial” increase in T2D risk among people who consume 100 grams of total meat per day (20%), 100 grams per day of red meat (22%), and 50g/day of processed meats (30%). Meanwhile, 50g/day of white meat led to a smaller risk increase (4%).

“There are several potential reasons for this. For example, red and processed meat are important sources of components like saturated fatty acids, cholesterol and heme iron, all known to promote chronic low-level inflammation and oxidative stress, which, in turn, can reduce the sensitivity of the cells to insulin,” says Dr. Giosuè in a media release.

“Processed meats also contain nitrates, nitrites and sodium which, among other adverse effects, can damage the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas,” Dr. Giosuè adds.

“White meat, in comparison, has a lower fat content, a more favorable fatty acid profile and a lower amount of heme iron.”

In contrast, dairy foods appeared to protect against T2D or had a neutral relationship with its development.

Milk (200g/day) displayed a connection with a 10-percent reduction in diabetes risk. Total dairy (200g/day) cut the risk by five percent risk and low-fat dairy (200g/day) cut it by three percent. Yogurt (100g/day) led to a six percent reduction in diabetes risk.

Cheese (30g/day) and full-fat dairy (200g/day) does not appear to have an effect on the risk of T2D.

“Dairy products are rich in nutrients, vitamins and other bioactive compounds which may favorably influence glucose metabolism – the processing of sugar by the body,” Dr. Giosuè continues.

“For example, whey proteins in milk are known to modulate the rise of blood sugar levels after eating. Probiotics are also known to exert beneficial effects on glucose metabolism, which may explain why we found that a regular consumption of yogurt is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.”

‘Diabetes is one of the major causes of diet-related death worldwide’

Dr. Giosuè says that although the results suggest that low-fat dairy products are more beneficial than full-fat dairy products, people should look at these findings “cautiously” due to the relatively small impact on diabetes risk.

“Type 2 diabetes is one of the major causes of diet-related death worldwide. Learning more about how different dietary components increase or decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes is key to its prevention,” Dr. Giosuè says.

“Although more well-conducted research is needed to achieve high quality of evidence required to give solid recommendations, our extensive review of the scientific evidence shows that regular consumption of dairy foods in moderate amounts, especially low-fat products, milk and yogurt, may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes,” the study author adds.

“It is also clear that while red and processed meat should be eaten sparingly, moderate amounts of fish and eggs could be good substitutes.”

Researchers are presenting their findings at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Stockholm.

BOSTON — Whether it’s bacon with breakfast or steak for dinner, just two servings of red meat a week may elevate your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, a new study warns. Researchers with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health add that the risk appears to grow with higher consumption of red meat — a common part of many Western diets.

However, the study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that substituting red meat with plant-based protein sources like nuts and legumes can potentially reduce this risk. Study authors found that swapping red meat with these plant proteins or even modest amounts of dairy foods resulted in a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes.

“Our findings strongly support dietary guidelines that recommend limiting the consumption of red meat, and this applies to both processed and unprocessed red meat,” says first author Xiao Gu, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Nutrition, in a media release.

While prior studies have identified a connection between red meat intake and the risk of Type 2 diabetes, this recent research offers more definitive insights by analyzing a significant number of T2D cases over an extended time frame. The global surge in Type 2 diabetes rates is deeply concerning to medical professionals. Diabetes not only poses a grave health challenge but also amplifies the risk for cardiovascular and kidney diseases, cancer, and even dementia.

To reach this conclusion, the research team evaluated health data from 216,695 participants. They monitored their dietary habits using food frequency questionnaires every two to four years, spanning up to 36 years. Within this duration, over 22,000 participants were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

The data reveals a potent association between red meat consumption, including both its processed and unprocessed forms, and an augmented risk of Type 2 diabetes. Those who consumed the most red meat faced a 62-percent increased risk compared to individuals who consumed the least. An extra daily serving of processed red meat was linked to a 46-percent higher risk, while an additional serving of unprocessed meat correlated with a 24-percent heightened risk.

Further analysis uncovered that replacing a daily serving of red meat with nuts and legumes could result in a 30-percent reduction in the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Swapping it for dairy products led to a 22-percent decrease.

“Given our findings and previous work by others, a limit of about one serving per week of red meat would be reasonable for people wishing to optimize their health and wellbeing,” says senior author Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition.

The researchers also highlighted the broader benefits of opting for plant-based protein sources. Beyond individual health advantages, these choices could notably diminish greenhouse gas emissions, counteract climate change, and offer other environmental benefits.