New findings from the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center suggest that the connection between red meat consumption and inflammation might be less significant than previously thought. The research team, studying a group of older adults, determined that once body mass index (BMI) was accounted for, red meat intake did not correlate with increased inflammation indicators. Dr. Alexis Wood advocates for dietary guidance concerning red meat to be firmly rooted in rigorous scientific research.
Chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), have been linked to inflammation, with diet’s influence on inflammation being a key focus of recent research. Historical dietary guidelines often recommended limiting red meat based on earlier studies that indicated a potential negative impact on inflammation. However, newer research has begun to challenge these assertions.
Dr. Alexis Wood, an associate professor of pediatrics – nutrition at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, highlighted the insufficient research into the dietary effects of red meat on inflammation and disease risk, leading to potentially unfounded public health recommendations. Wood’s team aimed to provide a more nuanced understanding by analyzing blood metabolites, offering a closer approximation of the relationship between diet and health outcomes.
Research Approach and Discoveries
Analyzing cross-sectional data from around 4,000 older adults from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), Wood’s group shared their results in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Such data, collected from individuals in natural settings without experimental intervention, is advantageous for translating findings to real-world scenarios.
The research involved evaluating the participants’ reported food consumption and various biomarkers, as well as examining dietary metabolites in the blood, which reflect the impact of diet post-ingestion.
The study revealed no direct link between the consumption of unprocessed and processed red meat and inflammation markers once BMI was factored in. This was particularly noteworthy in the case of C-reactive protein (CRP), a principal marker of inflammation and chronic disease risk.
Wood emphasized the importance of utilizing plasma markers like metabolites for a more accurate association between diet and disease risk, instead of solely relying on self-reported dietary intake, stating that the findings do not corroborate prior associations made between red meat consumption and inflammation.
Call for Additional Research
Given that observational studies do not establish causation, there is a need for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to conclusively determine the effect of red meat on inflammation. Past RCTs have already indicated that lean unprocessed beef can be part of a heart-healthy diet.
Dr. Wood contends that more evidence is required before advising the limitation of red meat to reduce inflammation. As red meat is widely consumed and culturally significant, any recommendations to decrease its intake should be grounded in solid scientific proof, which is not yet fully established.
Reference: Wood, A.C., et al., (2023). “Untargeted metabolomic analysis investigating links between unprocessed red meat intake and markers of inflammation,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.08.018
This study involved contributors such as Goncalo Graca, Meghana Gadgil, Mackenzie K. Senn, and others, and was supported by the Beef Checkoff and grants from various institutes, including parts of the National Institutes of Health.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about red meat inflammation research
Does red meat consumption contribute to inflammation?
Recent research from the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center indicates that there may not be a direct link between red meat consumption and inflammation markers after adjusting for BMI.
How was the recent study on red meat and inflammation conducted?
The study analyzed cross-sectional data from about 4,000 older adults, assessing their self-reported food intake, biomarkers, and blood metabolites to examine the effects of dietary intake on health.
What did the study find about red meat and inflammation?
The study found no direct association between the intake of unprocessed and processed red meat and markers of inflammation when body mass index (BMI) was considered, especially noting no link with C-reactive protein (CRP), a key inflammation marker.
Why is this new research on red meat significant?
This research is significant because it utilizes plasma metabolites to understand diet-disease risk associations, challenging previous observations that linked red meat intake with increased inflammation.
What do the new findings suggest about dietary guidelines for red meat?
The findings suggest that current dietary guidelines recommending reduced red meat consumption to prevent inflammation may need to be reevaluated in light of recent evidence, emphasizing the need for recommendations based on strong scientific backing.
More about red meat inflammation research
- USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center
- Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
5 comments
got to say, it’s refreshing to see studies that challenge the status quo, we need more science like this that really digs into the why of our health issues.
This article is a real eye opener, kinda makes you question what we’ve always been told about red meat and heart disease.
while the study seems solid I have to wonder about the funding source, Beef Checkoff right, could that influence the results, just saying.
Red meat not linked to inflammation, finally some good news for us BBQ lovers, but does this mean I can ignore my doc’s advice?
i always thought red meat was bad for you…interesting to see that it might be more about weight than what we eat?