We’ve already gotten used to the idea that we should eat way less red meat. Or none at all. But there are some researchers who believe this advice is not rooted in sufficient scientific evidence.
The new research, more precisely four new studies, published by a group of international scientists in the Annals of Internal Medicine, says that evidence is too weak to justify the advice when it comes to eating red meat and processed meats, according to the New York Times. Other scientists, outside of the study, think that such conclusions when it comes to research and papers can lead to the public losing trust.
Too many studies have connected the consumption of red meat with health problems like all types of cancer, heart disease, and many others. The authors of this new research say that reducing the quantity of red meat and processed meat we have weekly has insignificant health benefits, on a small scale.
Red meat and controversy
“The certainty of evidence for these risk reductions was low to very low,” said Bradley Johnston, an epidemiologist at Dalhousie University in Canada. Johnston is also the leader of the group publishing the new studies in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The group wants to draw attention to how we look at nutrition and diet advice and how scientific research is interpreted for the public.
The new studies were not out long before critiques started pouring in. They were firmly criticized by the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Featured image by tomwieden from Pixabay
