Red and processed meat consumption and risk of incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Regular consumers of processed meats may have a high tendency to develop diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease (CHD).

This study evaluated the correlation between regular ingestion of processed and unprocessed red meat and the likelihood of developing stroke, diabetes mellitus, and coronary heart disease (CHD). Researchers systematically reviewed 17 prospective and 3 case-control studies that examined red meat consumption as a risk factor for stroke, diabetes mellitus, and coronary heart disease.

Researchers discovered that subjects who consumed high amounts of processed meat products—not red meat—had greater risk of developing diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease. On the other hand, generous intake of processed and unprocessed red meat did not affect stroke risk in this study. The results of this study indicate that consistent consumption of diets rich in processed meat products may contribute positively to the development of diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease.