Study: High consumption of red meat may cause diabetes

**Study: High consumption of red meat may increase the risk of diabetes**

Eating a lot of red meat may increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Scientists have identified that the sugar molecule Neu5Gc, found in meat, could be the cause. The results of the study were presented at the annual conference of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).

Researchers analyzed data from 89,953 participants in the NutriNet-Santé study in France. At the start of the study, none of them had type 2 diabetes or cancer. Over the following 7.2 years, the disease was detected in 966 people.

Scientists paid particular attention to the sugar molecule Neu5Gc, which is found especially in beef and lamb. The human body cannot produce it, which is why Neu5Gc consumed through the diet is perceived by the immune system as a foreign substance and can trigger chronic inflammation.

Those with the highest consumption of Neu5Gc from red meat had a 63 percent higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those with the lowest consumption. In the second-highest consumption group, the risk increased by 41 percent. This association remained even after accounting for physical activity, diet, smoking, and other factors.

However, no similar association was found for Neu5Gc derived from dairy products. The authors note that the study is observational in nature and does not prove that red meat directly causes diabetes.