June 22, 2017
Diabetes Care
Abstract
This abstract is available on the publisher’s site.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined different cooking methods for red meats in relation to type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk among U.S. women who consumed red meats regularly (≥2 servings/week).
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
We monitored 59,033 women (1986-2012) aged 30-55 years and free of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer at baseline when information on frequency of different cooking methods for red meats, including broiling, barbequing, roasting, pan-frying, and stewing/boiling, was collected.
RESULTS
During 1.24 million person-years of follow-up, we documented 6,206 incident cases of T2D. After multivariate adjustment including red meat cooking methods, total red meat and processed red meat intake were both associated with a monotonically increased T2D risk (both P trend <0.05). After multivariate adjustment including total red meat intake, a higher frequency of broiling, barbequing, and roasting red meats was each independently associated with a higher T2D risk. When comparing ≥2 times/week with <1 time/month, the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CI of T2D were 1.29 (1.19, 1.40; P trend <0.001) for broiling, 1.23 (1.11, 1.38; P trend <0.001) for barbequing, and 1.11 (1.01, 1.23; P trend = 0.14) for roasting. In contrast, the frequency of stewing/boiling red meats was not associated with T2D risk, and an inverse association was observed for pan-frying frequency and T2D risk. The results remained similar after cooking methods were further mutually adjusted.
CONCLUSIONS
Independent of total red meat consumption, high-temperature and/or open-flame cooking methods for red meats, especially broiling and barbequing, may further increase diabetes risk among regular meat eaters.
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Journal Abstract
Primary Care
As the Fourth of July approaches, many will enjoy throwing some meat on the barbeque. Celebrating with this once a year would pose little harm, but what if you did this regularly?
Regular meat eaters (>2x/week) from the Nurses’ Health Study were followed for 1.24 million person-years and the results showed that the hazard ratio for developing type 2 diabetes compared with those who ate meat <1x/month was 1.29 for those who broiled their meat and 1.23 for barbequing.
What is responsible?
Research suggests that the following chemicals are likely playing a role. The first are heterocyclic amines (HCA). These chemicals are formed when amino acids, carbohydrate, and creatine found in meat are heated at high temperatures, including broiling and barbequing. HCAs are found in high concentrations in the charred or blackened parts of the meat (see graphic.)
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are formed when fat juices from meat drip into a fire, causing flames. The smoke from the flames contains PAH, which then soak into the meat. PAH are also found in smoke from cigarettes and in smoked meats.
HCA, PAH, and advanced glycation end products (also produced with this type of cooking) have been linked to cancer, inflammation, obesity, and insulin resistance.
What to recommend?
If you eat meat rarely and plan on barbequing a good steak this Fourth of July, the benefits of the joy you will get from celebrating with people you care about likely far outweigh the risk of one charbroiled steak. But if broiling and barbequing meat is a regular occurrence, then risk could be reduced by eating less red meat and preparing it in a slow cooker.