Cutting back on red meat is standard medical advice to prevent cancer and heart disease. However, a review of dozens of studies recently concluded that the potential risk is low and evidence uncertain.
In new guidelines published on Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a panel of researchers from seven countries suggested that “adults continue current unprocessed red meat consumption.”
The advice added that adults should also “continue current processed meat consumption.” Undoubtedly, the audience was shocked.
The research, published in the journal edited by the American College of Physicians, analysed multiple studies that, taken together, showed reducing red meat consumption by three servings per week could lower cancer mortality by seven deaths per 1,000 people.
Researchers then said any such decline was modest. They claim to have found only a “low” degree of certainty about the statistic. They added that the quality of evidence linking processed meat with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes was “very low.”
Doctors say there are very small risk reductions in cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. However, the evidence is uncertain. So there may be a reduction or there may not be.
So should we eat red meat?
The researchers say they want to change the “old school” approach of giving general nutritional recommendations and to bring more focus on evidence of individual benefit.
“People should look at this and hopefully make more well-informed personal choices, rather than letting authoritative organisations tell them what to do,” Johnston said.
But the cornerstone of dietary guidance for decades has been to refrain from red and processed meat. This ‘advice’ cuts across many countries and has come from leading health groups.
The WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer says that processed meat is carcinogenic, while red meat is “probably carcinogenic.”
In response to the latest guidelines, the World Cancer Research Fund said it would not change its advice. “We maintain our confidence in the rigorous research conducted for 30 years,” said its director of research, Giota Mitrou.
Marji McCullough, an epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society, said the researchers take into account people’s personal values and preferences.
“It’s kind of like saying: ‘we know helmets can save lives. But some people still prefer the feeling of the wind in their hair when they ride bikes. And let’s face it, most people won’t crash’,” she said. “But everyone agrees you should wear a helmet.”
Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of applied statistics at Britain’s Open University, also said the lack of hard scientific evidence meant there were few clear answers.
“Depressingly, all this tends to indicate that after all these years and all these millions of research participants, we still don’t know much,” he said.
What do you think? Does this change anything? Will you refrain from or continue to eat red meat? Comment below.
