Red Meat Scare
On March 12, 2012 a study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archinternmed.2011.2287) which was then picked up by the media. The conclusion of the study states “Red Meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of total CVD (an abbreviation for heart attack and stroke), and cancer mortality. In layman’s terms it says if people eat fewer then 0.5 servings of red meat a day, 9.3% of deaths in men and 7.6% of death’s in women could be prevented.
SO if we look no farther the recommendation would be to live longer eat less Red Meat. However I have some issues with the study. First it was what we call a prospective cohort which is basically a survey of what you eat. It appears the questionaries were sent every four years and ranged from “never eat” to “eat 6 or more times a year.”
So imagine doing a survey asking you how often you eat beef, pork, etc… I am not sure how accurate I would be. I can’t even remember what I ate yesterday.
Most physicians would feel comfortable preaching a diet of moderation and a diet that is well balanced. I don’t think anyone would recommend six servings of red meat a day but I think red meat is still very safe in moderation.
If you are concerned about your diet or want some personal diet education contact your physician today.
