Swap meat for fish and live longer
Sausage & bacon worst for early death
EATING red meat four times a week increases your risk of dying early – and processed types such as bacon or sausages are the worst, confirms a major piece of research.
Scientists tracking 81,000 Americans found those who swapped one serving of red meat for fish per day had a 17% lower risk of death over the eight-year study period.
Those having more than three-and-a-half portions of processed meats a week were 13% more likely to die in that time.
However those choosing the same amount of unprocessed red meat such as steaks, pork or lamb had a 9% higher chance.
Some 14,000 of the participants died, mainly from strokes, heart attacks and cancer.
Author Yan Zheng, of Fudan University in Shanghai, China, said: “This is a practical message to the general public.
“A change in protein source or eating healthy, plant-based foods, such as vegetables or whole grains, can improve longevity.” Researchers in the US and China used data on 53,500 female nurses, aged 30 to 55, and 27,900 male health professionals, aged 40 to 75.
All were free of heart disease and cancer at the start of the study. A serving was regarded as two rashers of bacon or a hotdog and a portion of meat was judged to be 85g. Replacing a red meat meal daily with whole grains cut the risk by 12% and poultry without skin by 10%. But fish was best.
Dr Ian Johnson, of the Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, said: “Adults seem to be able to significantly improve their chances of a longer healthier life by adjusting diets toward what can be broadly described as a more ‘Mediterranean diet’.” Dr Giota Mitrou, of World Cancer Research Fund, said: “We call on the Government to... introduce policies such as subsidies on healthier food, like fruit and vegetables.
“We recommend people eat no more than three portions of red meat a week and little or no processed meat.”
We advise that people eat little or no processed meat DR GIOTA MITROU WORLD CANCER RESEARCH FUND