Red Meat's Effect on Women's Heart Risk Studied

< Aug. 18, 2010 > -- A new study from Harvard University indicates that eating a lot of red meat can increase a woman's risk for developing heart disease.

American women who ate more protein-rich foods other than red meat had a significantly lower risk of developing heart disease, according to the report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

“Our study shows that making substitutes for red meat or minimizing the amount of red meat in the diet has important health benefits,” says Dr. Adam M. Bernstein, the study’s first author and post-doctoral research fellow in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

Long-Term Study Looked at Thousands of Women

For the study, Dr. Bernstein's team collected data on 84,136 women, aged 30 to 55, who took part in the Nurses' Health Study over 26 years, from 1980 to 2006.

Over that time, there were 2,210 nonfatal heart attacks and 952 deaths from heart disease, the researchers noted.

The researchers found that women who ate the highest amount of red meat were at the highest risk for heart disease. However, eating poultry, fish, and nuts was associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

In fact, compared to one serving a day of red meat, women who ate one serving a day of other protein-rich foods had a:

• 30 percent lower risk of heart disease if they ate one serving of nuts
• 24 percent lower risk of heart disease if they ate one serving of fish
• 19 percent lower risk of heart disease if they ate one serving of poultry
• 13 percent lower risk of heart disease if they ate one serving of low-fat dairy

"You don't need to have hot dogs, hamburgers, bologna, or pastrami," Dr. Bernstein says.

Results May Be Applicable to Men, Too

Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, says that "a number of prior observational studies have explored the complex relationships between various food types in the diet and the long-term risk of coronary heart disease."

"Although this study included only women, our overall knowledge of risk factors for heart disease suggests that the findings are likely to apply to men as well," adds Dr. Fonarow.

While most studies have shown that fish intake is associated with decreased risk for coronary heart disease, the findings regarding red meat consumption and risk have been mixed. Some have shown no increased risk, others have found the risk is only associated with processed meat, and in others a relationship was seen only with total red meat consumption, he explains.

This new observational study of women found that higher intake of red meat was associated with higher risk of heart disease.

"However, it is important to acknowledge that this is an observational study, rather than a prospective, randomized clinical trial. Whether a shift in protein source in the diet would actually reduce coronary heart disease events remains to be demonstrated," Dr. Fonarow says.

Healthier Choices Easy to Find

Samantha Heller, M.S., R.D., who is a dietitian, nutritionist, and exercise physiologist in Fairfield, Conn., says it seems obvious that people should reduce their intake of meat and dairy foods. "But there are many people who feel it is almost impossible to give up or limit butter, steak, ham and cheese," she says. "Americans are also concerned with getting enough protein. However, the US Centers for Disease Control [and Prevention] says that most Americans have plenty, if not a surplus, of protein in their diet."

If people looked at this as a matter of simple swaps, it may be easier to make some healthy changes, she adds.

"So, instead of a ham-and-cheese sandwich for lunch, have a peanut butter-and-banana sandwich. Jump in the Meatless Monday trend, and have whole-grain pasta primavera for dinner on Monday. Make Sunday's chili vegetarian, with lots of vegetables and beans. Try a veggie burger on a whole-wheat bun for your cookout. Swap cheese and crackers for low-fat cheese and apple slices," Heller suggests.

Always consult your physician or other healthcare provider for more information.

Simple Ways to Make Your Diet Better

Good nutrition is a cornerstone of good health. A low-fat, low-cholesterol diet can reduce your risk for heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, stroke, and other diseases.

One way to improve your diet is to eat more fruits and vegetables. For adults, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables each day. You should also get at least 6 ounces a day of grains (3 of which should come from whole grains), and 3 cups a day of fat-free or low-fat milk or milk products.

Here are easy ways to make your diet better:

• Go for seconds -- on non-starchy vegetables. Reminder: A typical vegetable serving size is 1/2 cup.
• Eat a whole-grain, non-sweetened cereal for breakfast, and top your cereal with fresh fruit. You'll add fiber and, depending on the fruit, a healthy dose of vitamins A, B and C. If you must have sweetened cereal, use a no-calorie sweetener such as aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet) or sucralose (Splenda).
• Order healthy choices when you eat out. Select foods such as baked fish or chicken.
• Use low-fat or nonfat dressing on your salad. Four tablespoons of regular dressing can contain 60 grams of fat, which is as much as most adults should consume in a day.
• Eat fish for dinner at least once a week. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish can help keep your heart healthy.
• Choose whole fruit over fruit juice. You'll consume less sugar and more fiber.
• Drink a full glass of water before a meal and another one with it. You'll stay hydrated and be less likely to overeat.
• Add lentils, beans, kasha, brown rice and peas to your diet for an added fiber boost.
• Buy low-fat or fat-free bologna, ham, and other cold cuts.
• Choose low-fat alternatives when a food craving hits. Pick baked chips instead of regular ones. Eat fresh or dried fruit for a midmorning or mid-afternoon snack.
• Don't peel apples, pears, peaches, and potatoes. Many of their nutrients and a lot of their fiber is contained in, or just under, their skins.
• Drink iced tea, diet soda or water instead of regular soda. A 12-ounce can of regular soda contains 10 teaspoons of sugar; diet sodas are sugar-free but contain no nutrients and lots of chemicals.
• Read food labels of comparable brands of salad dressings, convenience foods, frozen foods, packaged dinners, cookies and crackers. Choose those with the least fat, cholesterol and salt (sodium).
• Switch from whole milk to 1 percent or skim (nonfat) milk.
• Watch your portion sizes. Even healthy foods can cause you to gain weight if you eat too much of them.

Always consult your physician or other healthcare provider for more information.