Red Meat Shortens Life Expectancy, Is Still Tasty

A diet high in red meat could shorten life expectancy, claims a new study from Harvard Medical School. Owning a chair made from red meat or wearing a dress made from steaks probably has no effect.

The study, which boasted over 120,000 participants and stretched over 28 years (1980 – 2008), suggested that red meat increased the risk of death from cancer and heart problems.

It’s not such a small jump in risk, either: an extra daily portion of unprocessed red meat to a daily diet increased the risk of death by 13 percent, the risk of fatal cardiovascular disease by 18 percent, and fatal cancer by 10 percent.

Processed red meat produced even riskier figures, with a 20 percent increase in mortality, 21 percent for death from heart problems, and 16 percent for cancer mortality. In a press release, researchers in the study, which appeared in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, noted:

“We found that a higher intake of red meat was associated with a significantly elevated risk of total, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality. This association was observed for unprocessed and processed red meat with a relatively greater risk for processed red meat.”

Replacing red meat with fish, chicken and nuts lowered the risks involved. It does, however, increase boredom.