[Compiled by Xie Yizhe/Comprehensive Report] A French study has found that a naturally occurring sugar in red meat may help explain part of the link scientists have long observed between meat intake and type 2 diabetes. The research was presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Milan, Italy.
According to the science website "SciTechDaily", scientists have long observed that as the intake of N-hydroxyacetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) from meat increases, the risk of type 2 diabetes also increases. In response, a research team from the University of Paris Nord in France conducted an observational study on red meat.
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The research team analyzed 89,953 adults who participated in the French "NutriNet-Santé" study. This is a large prospective generational study designed to track the relationship between diet, lifestyle and health. The average age of participants was 42 years old, and 79% were female. None of the participants had type 2 diabetes or cancer at the start of the analysis.
Each participant completed three 24-hour food records. The research team estimated each participant's Neu5Gc intake based on the actual measured Neu5Gc in different foods. The meats analyzed by the researchers included beef, lamb, pork, etc. Bacon, sausages and cured meats were analyzed separately.
The researchers divided the participants into five groups based on their intake of Neu5Gc from meat. The analysis showed that as the intake of Neu5Gc from meat increased, the risk of type 2 diabetes also increased, and the risk increased most significantly in the higher intake range. Compared with the lowest intake group, the highest intake group had a 63% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and the second highest intake group had a 41% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
This data is the result of a combined analysis of men and women. This association was observed in both men and women, with no statistical evidence of a difference between the two sexes. The higher the amount of Neu5Gc consumed from meat, the greater the risk.
What this analysis found was a correlation. It had not been proven that Neu5Gc directly caused type 2 diabetes. And after the research team further considered how much red meat each participant ate, they could not determine that Neu5Gc was the specific component in red meat that increased the risk of type 2 diabetes. Neu5Gc may be a factor, but other components in meat or other characteristics of people who eat more meat may also play a role.
Additionally, in this analysis, no association was found between Neu5Gc from dairy products and type 2 diabetes. The Neu5Gc content in milk is generally lower than in red meat, and the single serving size of typical dairy products may also result in lower overall human exposure to Neu5Gc.
The research team pointed out that overall, the association between Neu5Gc and type 2 diabetes may depend on dietary sources. Neu5Gc from meat showed a stronger association with type 2 diabetes risk than Neu5Gc in the overall diet. There may be differences in Neu5Gc from different sources, or other components in red meat may also contribute.
The research team claims that future studies should further explore whether reducing human exposure to Neu5Gc from meat can help prevent type 2 diabetes. For example, poultry or plant-based proteins could be preferred over beef and lamb, which have the highest Neu5Gc content.
