Bad news for fans of bacon cheeseburgers: a new review of large-scale studies involving more than 1.5 million subjects has discovered that consuming at least one serving of red or processed meats every day causes a significant increase in all-cause mortality rate.

The paper, which was published in the May edition of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, looked at six previous studies that evaluated the effects of both meat and vegetarian diets on mortality, and found that most of them discovered a link between red meat consumption and increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer or other causes.

“This data reinforces what we have known for so long – your diet has great potential to harm or heal,” Dr. Brookshield Laurent, an assistant professor of family medicine and clinical sciences at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, said in a statement.

Dr. Laurent added that the new evidence “can assist physicians in counseling patients about the important role diet plays, leading to improved preventive care.” Based on their work, the authors recommend that physicians advise their patients to limit the amount of animal products that they consume, and to have a diet that is based more around fruits and veggies than meat.

Long-term vegetarians found to live the longest

The researchers reviewed three studies that evaluated the impact of red and processed meats on a person’s mortality risk, and three others that analyzed the effects of a vegetarian diet. Two out of the three meat-based studies found an increase in all-cause mortality linked to red meat, while all three of them found a similar link related to the consumption of processed meats.

Only two of the studies specifically analyzed the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and one addressed the increased risk of developing cancer, but in all cases, an association was found. On the other hand, two out of the three vegetarian studies found that such diets decreased risk of all-cause mortality, ischemic heart disease, and – in some instances, at least – even cancer.

For the purposes of the study, processed meat included products such as bacon, sausage, salami, hot dogs, and ham, while unprocessed red meat included uncured, unsalted beef, pork, lamb, and wild game. The reviewed studies also found a 3.6-year increase in life expectancy for those on a vegetarian diet for at least 17 years, compared to those who were to short-term vegetarians.

“All-cause mortality is higher for increased daily consumption of red meat, especially processed meat. However, the compiled evidence does not link other meat products to all-cause mortality,” the study authors wrote, adding that doctors should “encourage patients” to “substitute red meat and processed red meat with plant-based foods. Patients may supplement a plant-based diet with moderate amounts of fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy if desired.”

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