Study Links Meat Intake to Weight Gain

New research from Imperial College London reveals that individuals who eat a lot of meat, especially poultry, are more likely to gain more weight over five years than those who eat less meat or no meat at all even if they consume the same amount of calories. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that consuming chicken and turkey had the most impact on weight gain, followed by processed meats and red meat.

The study involved more than 100,000 men and 270,000 women from 10 European countries who took part in the large European population who participated in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Physical Activity, Nutrition, Alcohol, Cessation of Smoking, Eating Out of Home and Obesity (EPIC-PANACEA) project.

Diet was assessed at baseline with the use of country-specific validated questionnaires. A dietary calibration study was conducted in a representative subsample of the cohort. Weight and height were measured at baseline and self-reported at follow-up in most centers. Associations between energy from meat (kcal/d) and annual weight change (g/y) were assessed with the use of linear mixed models, controlled for age, sex, total energy intake, physical activity, dietary patterns, and other potential confounders.

Over a 5-year follow-up period, both men and women gained an average of one pound a year, although women gained a little less. For each additional 250 grams of meat a person ate daily, the 5-year weight gain was 4.4 pounds greater than those who didn’t eat as much meat.

Sources:

* American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Meat consumption and prospective weight change in participants of the EPIC-PANACEA study.