There is a link between the meat you eat and chronic disease, according to new research CNN

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Worried about your risk of type 2 diabetes? You may want to watch the types of meat you eat, according to a new study.

Eating red and processed meat frequently is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, according to an analysis of data from 31 study groups published Tuesday in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal.

The study is the most comprehensive to date showing a link between processed meat and unprocessed red meat with type 2 diabetes, said senior study author Dr. Nita Foruhi, professor of population health and nutrition at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. email.

Type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition that occurs when blood sugar is too high, is the most common type of diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. . If left untreated, type 2 diabetes can lead to complications including heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.

There are more questions about meat that need to be asked, such as the risk of poultry and the possible effects of different cooking methods, said Dr. Hilda Mulrooney, reader in nutrition and health at London Metropolitan University, in a press release. He was not involved in education.

But the new research is consistent with current nutritional guidelines that recommend lowering meat consumption, Mulrooney said.

The study was observational, so researchers could not conclude that eating meat is a direct cause of diabetes, Mulrooney said.

But the connection was strong, said Foruhi, saying that “these findings were consistent across populations in different regions and countries around the world.”

The researchers analyzed data from nearly 2 million people in 20 countries. The team also accounted for factors including “diet quality, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, energy and weight of the body that may affect the results and that may exaggerate or hide the association of meat with type 2 diabetes,” Foruhi added.

However, the data did not allow the researchers to account for other factors that may contribute to type 2 diabetes, including family history, insulin resistance and hip circumference. , according to Dr. Duane Mellor, dietician and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and honors student. Aston University in the United Kingdom. He was not involved in the investigation.

Those factors are more closely related to the risk of developing diabetes than factors that researchers are able to account for, he added in a news release.

“It is possible that the increased risk associated with red and red meat consumption may be due to these other confounding factors,” Mellor said.

Despite those limitations, the evidence in the new study and current dietary recommendations make a strong case for cutting back on meat, Mulrooney said.

“Meat consumption often exceeds dietary guidelines,” he said. “The current dietary guidelines also recommend replacing red and processed meats with meats such as chicken, in addition to reducing overall meat consumption with alternatives such as peas, beans, lentils and tofu. .”

Although there is no definitive research on whether chicken consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes are linked, a recent study showed that replacing red meat and processed meat with chicken reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes. having type 2 diabetes, Mulrooney added.

“It is known that generally available cooked meats such as ham, sausages, bacon, hot dogs, salami or pepperoni are highly processed, contain chemical compounds as well as a lot of salt, which makes that they do not live well in different health conditions,” said Foruhi.

There are many ways to cut back, including, “eating this meat more often, having smaller portions, or swapping it for other foods with more protein,” he added.

And in addition to striving to eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts and beans, people with diabetes should make sure to include regular exercise, Mellor said.