Regular Intake of Processed Red Meat Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Failure and Death in Men

Regular intake of red meat hastens death due to an increased risk of heart diseases, a new study reveals.

The new Swedish study suggests replacing bacon, sausages or processed deli meats with chicken in order to lower the risk of heart failure and death.  The risk is more in men who regularly eat moderate amounts of processed red meat. This can lead to increased risk of heart failure incidences and death in some cases. It is safe to limit the amount of unprocessed red meat to one to two servings a week or even less.

Processed red meats that are preserved by smoking, curing, salting or use of preservatives, contain sodium nitrates, phosphates and other food additives and the smoked and grilled meat have polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that further elevate the risk of heart failure. When compared to the processed meat, the unprocessed meat is free from food additives and also has less sodium.

This latest cohort study is one of the earliest to look at the effect of processed red meat separately from unprocessed red meat.  The study included nearly 37,035 men of ages 45-79. None of the participants had a history of heart failure, ischemic heart disease or cancer. As a part of the study, the participants were asked to complete a questionnaire on their intake of food as well other lifestyle factors.  The subjects were followed from 1998 to the date they were diagnosed with heart failure, death or the end of the study in 2010.

In 12 years of follow up the researchers noticed that nearly 2,891 men were diagnosed with heart failure and 266 died from heart failure.  Men who ate 75 grams of processed red meat per day had 28 percent increased risk of heart failure when compared to men who ate less than 25 grams per day.

Men who regularly ate processed red meat were two times more vulnerable to die from heart failure and with each 50 grams increase of processed red meat in diet every day, the risk of heart failure occurrence soared by 8 percent and death from heart failure increased by 38 percent.

"To reduce your risk of heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases, we suggest avoiding processed red meat in your diet, and limiting the amount of unprocessed red meat to one to two servings per week or less," said Joanna Kaluza, Ph.D., study lead author and assistant professor in the Department of Human Nutrition at Warsaw University of Life Sciences in Poland. "Instead, eat a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grain products, nuts and increase your servings of fish."

The finding was documented in the journal Circulation.