Meat Consumption and Health Effects

Dear Colleagues,

Meat is a good source of energy and of some essential nutrients, including high-quality proteins and micronutrients, and its consumption in modest amounts may be a strategy to avoid malnutrition in less developed populations. However, its consumption is increasing as a result of the increasing average individual incomes and population growth, and excessive consumption of meat products is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases. Meat consumption has been in the spotlight since IARC, in 2015, classified the consumption of red meat as "probably carcinogenic to humans" and that of processed meat as "carcinogenic to humans". Also, epidemiological studies have suggested a positive association between higher meat intake, especially, processed red meat, and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The association of unprocessed red meat and white meat with chronic disease risk is less known.

On the other hand, a higher dietary protein intake has been associated with a reduction in total energy intake, a higher satiety level, and diet-induced thermogenesis, which might be therapeutic alternatives for individuals with obesity-related chronic diseases, as demonstrated in several intervention trials; however, evidence from observational studies suggests that high-protein diets induce long-term weight gain.

Therefore, there are still unresolved questions in relation to the role of meat consumption in health outcomes, such as its association with obesity, the mechanisms leading to an increased risk of CVD, or whether the consumption of white meat is positively or inversely associated with the risk of chronic diseases.

Dr. Dora Romaguera-Bosch
Dr. Itziar Abete Goñi
Guest Editors

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