(P29-018-23) Red Meat Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in US Women and Men

Objectives: We aimed to assess the relationships of intakes of total red meat, processed red meat, and unprocessed red meat to risk of T2D and to estimate the effects of substituting different protein sources, including fish, dairy, nuts and legumes, poultry, and egg for red meats on T2D risk.

Methods: Our study included 218,573 women and men from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS II), and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). Red meat intakes were assessed with semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) every 2-4 years since the study baselines (NHS 1980, NHS II 1992, HPFS 1986). We used multivariable-adjusted proportional hazards models to estimate the associations between red meats and T2D.

Results: Over 5,928,314 person-years of follow-up, we documented 11,395 T2D cases in the NHS, 7,630 cases in the NHS II, and 3,794 cases in the HPFS. Intakes of total, processed, and unprocessed red meat were positively and approximately linearly associated with higher risks of T2D. Comparing the highest to the lowest quintiles, hazard ratios were HR =1.59 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.50, 1.68) for total red meat, 1.49 (95% CI: 1.42, 1.56) for processed red meat, and 1.38 (95% CI: 1.31, 1.45) for unprocessed red meat. The percentage lower risk of T2D associated with substituting 1 serving/day of nuts and legumes for total red meat was 28% (HR =0.72, 95% CI: 0.68, 0.75), for processed red meat was 39% (HR =0.61, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.65), and for unprocessed red meat was 27% (HR =0.73, 95% CI: 0.69, 0.77); Substituting 1 serving/day of dairy for total, processed, or unprocessed red meat was also associated with significant lower risk of T2D; substitution with eggs or fish was not associated with lower risk. Adjustment for body mass index, a potential mediating variable, partly accounted for these relationships, but clear, independent associations remained. The observed associations became stronger after we calibrated dietary intakes to intakes assessed by weighed diet records.

Conclusions: Our study supports current dietary recommendations for limiting consumption of red meat intake and emphasizes the importance of different alternative sources of protein for T2D prevention.

Funding Sources: The NHS, NHS II, and HPFS are supported by National Institutes of Health research grants UM1  CA186107, U01 CA176726, and U01 CA167552.