Processed meat can cause heart failure in men

Sausages, bacon and cold cuts may be convenient and delicious, but according to a study published in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal earlier this year, eating processed red meat can increase the risk of heart failure or death in men.

The study is the first to examine the effects of processed red meat consumption as compared to unprocessed red meat. Researchers in the study analysed 37,035 healthy men aged 45 to 79 from 1998 to 2010.

Research zeros in on red meat consumption

During the 12-year study period, 2,891 men developed heart failure, and 266 died as a result. Men who consumed 75 or more grams of processed red meat per day were 28 percent more likely to develop heart failure, compared to men who ate 25g or less per day, the study said. Men who consumed the most processed meat were also twice as likely to die from heart failure as those who ate the least.

According to the research, every daily increase of 50g in processed meat consumption raised the risk of heart failure by eight percent and risk of death from heart failure by 38 percent. There was no link found between heart failure and men who consumed unprocessed red meat.

"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,” says study author Joanna Kaluza, assistant professor in the human nutrition department 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.”

Alicja Wolk, senior author of the study, also warns of the dangers of consuming too much processed red meat. “Processed red meat commonly contains sodium, nitrates, phosphates and other food additives, and smoked and grilled meats also contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, all of which may contribute to the increased heart failure risk. Unprocessed meat is free from food additives and usually has a lower amount of sodium,” says Wolk, who is based in the Division of Nutritional Epidemiology at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

Dietary recommendations for heart health

For optimum heart health, the American Heart Association recommends a diet that consists of more chicken, beans and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids than red meat. If you must eat red meat, opt for lean and unprocessed versions instead. People should also include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and nuts in their diet.

Further links:
Medicalnewstoday.com
Aha.org