scholarly journals Processed meat: the real villain?

2015 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Rohrmann ◽  
Jakob Linseisen
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Meat Consumption ◽  
Red Meat ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
Fatty Tissue ◽  
High Consumption ◽  
Processed Meat Consumption ◽  
Processed Red Meat

Meat is a food rich in protein, minerals such as iron and zinc as well as a variety of vitamins, in particular B vitamins. However, the content of cholesterol and saturated fat is higher than in some other food groups. Processed meat is defined as products usually made of red meat that are cured, salted or smoked (e.g. ham or bacon) in order to improve the durability of the food and/or to improve colour and taste, and often contain a high amount of minced fatty tissue (e.g. sausages). Hence, high consumption of processed foods may lead to an increased intake of saturated fats, cholesterol, salt, nitrite, haem iron, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and, depending upon the chosen food preparation method, also heterocyclic amines. Several large cohort studies have shown that a high consumption of processed (red) meat is related to increased overall and cause-specific mortality. A meta-analysis of nine cohort studies observed a higher mortality among high consumers of processed red meat (relative risk (RR) = 1·23; 95 % CI 1·17, 1·28, top v. bottom consumption category), but not unprocessed red meat (RR = 1·10; 95 % CI 0·98, 1·22). Similar associations were reported in a second meta-analysis. All studies argue that plausible mechanisms are available linking processed meat consumption and risk of chronic diseases such as CVD, diabetes mellitus or some types of cancer. However, the results of meta-analyses do show some degree of heterogeneity between studies, and it has to be taken into account that individuals with low red or processed meat consumption tend to have a healthier lifestyle in general. Hence, substantial residual confounding cannot be excluded. Information from other types of studies in man is needed to support a causal role of processed meat in the aetiology of chronic diseases, e.g. studies using the Mendelian randomisation approach.

scholarly journals Association between total, processed, red and white meat consumption and all-cause, CVD and IHD mortality: a meta-analysis of cohort studies

2014 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 762-775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itziar Abete ◽  
Dora Romaguera ◽  
Ana Rita Vieira ◽  
Adolfo Lopez de Munain ◽  
Teresa Norat
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Meat Consumption ◽  
Red Meat ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
White Meat ◽  
Meat Intake ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Processed Meat Consumption ◽  
Cvd Mortality

An association between processed and red meat consumption and total mortality has been reported by epidemiological studies; however, there are many controversial reports regarding the association between meat consumption and CVD and IHD mortality. The present meta-analysis was carried out to summarise the evidence from prospective cohort studies on the association between consumption of meat (total, red, white and processed) and all-cause, CVD and IHD mortality. Cohort studies were identified by searching the PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge databases. Risk estimates for the highest v. the lowest consumption category and dose–response meta-analysis were calculated using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity among the studies was also evaluated. A total of thirteen cohort studies were identified (1 674 272 individuals). Subjects in the highest category of processed meat consumption had 22 and 18 % higher risk of mortality from any cause and CVD, respectively. Red meat consumption was found to be associated with a 16 % higher risk of CVD mortality, while no association was found for total and white meat consumption. In the dose–response meta-analysis, an increase of 50 g/d in processed meat intake was found to be positively associated with all-cause and CVD mortality, while an increase of 100 g/d in red meat intake was found to be positively associated with CVD mortality. No significant associations were observed between consumption of any type of meat and IHD mortality. The results of the present meta-analysis indicate that processed meat consumption could increase the risk of mortality from any cause and CVD, while red meat consumption is positively but weakly associated with CVD mortality. These results should be interpreted with caution due to the high heterogeneity observed in most of the analyses as well as the possibility of residual confounding.

scholarly journals Red and processed meat consumption and mortality: dose–response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 893-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Wang ◽  
Xinying Lin ◽  
Ying Y Ouyang ◽  
Jun Liu ◽  
Gang Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Dose Response ◽  
Cancer Mortality ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Meat Consumption ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
Meat Intake ◽  
Prospective Cohort Studies ◽  
Processed Meat Consumption ◽  
Red And Processed Meat

AbstractObjectiveTo examine and quantify the potential dose–response relationship between red and processed meat consumption and risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality.DesignWe searched MEDLINE, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, CINHAL, Scopus, the Cochrane library and reference lists of retrieved articles up to 30 November 2014 without language restrictions. We retrieved prospective cohort studies that reported risk estimates for all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality by red and/or processed meat intake levels. The dose–response relationships were estimated using data from red and processed meat intake categories in each study. Random-effects models were used to calculate pooled relative risks and 95 % confidence intervals and to incorporate between-study variations.ResultsNine articles with seventeen prospective cohorts were eligible in this meta-analysis, including a total of 150 328 deaths. There was evidence of a non-linear association between processed meat consumption and risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, but not for cancer mortality. For processed meat, the pooled relative risk with an increase of one serving per day was 1·15 (95 % CI 1·11, 1·19) for all-cause mortality (five studies; P<0·001 for linear trend), 1·15 (95 % CI 1·07, 1·24) for cardiovascular mortality (six studies; P<0·001) and 1·08 (95 % CI 1·06, 1·11) for cancer mortality (five studies; P<0·001). Similar associations were found with total meat intake. The association between unprocessed red meat consumption and mortality risk was found in the US populations, but not in European or Asian populations.ConclusionsThe present meta-analysis indicates that higher consumption of total red meat and processed meat is associated with an increased risk of total, cardiovascular and cancer mortality.

scholarly journals Red and processed meat consumption and colorectal cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Oncotarget ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (47) ◽  
pp. 83306-83314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhanwei Zhao ◽  
Quanxin Feng ◽  
Zifang Yin ◽  
Jianbo Shuang ◽  
Bin Bai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cancer Risk ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Meat Consumption ◽  
Colorectal Cancer Risk ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
Processed Meat Consumption ◽  
Red And Processed Meat

Association between processed meat and red meat consumption and risk for glioma: A meta-analysis from 14 articles

Nutrition ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youdong Wei ◽  
Dezhi Zou ◽  
Du Cao ◽  
Peng Xie
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Meat Consumption ◽  
Red Meat ◽  
Processed Meat
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