Too much meat is linked to heart failure in women, according to recent research from the American Heart Association.
According to the study, women over the age of 50 who have a high-protein diet are at higher risk of heart failure, especially if their protein comes mostly from meat.
The researchers evaluated self-reported diets of over 100,000 women between the ages of 50-79 years, from 1993-1998. A total of 1,711 experienced heart failure during the study.
The rate of heart failure was significantly higher in the women with higher meat intake when compared to those who got protein from vegetables.
“Higher calibrated total dietary protein intake appears to be associated with substantially increased heart failure risk while vegetable protein intake appears to be protective, although additional studies are needed to further explore this potential association,” said Mohamad Firas Barbour, M.D., study author and internist at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, in Pawtucket.
The researchers noted that other studies have also found an association between increased meat intake and cardiovascular risk in women.
“We used self-reported intakes of total dietary protein, and the quantity of protein women obtained from meat and vegetables based upon the Food Frequency Questionnaire,” Barbour said.
“While a better understanding of dietary risk is still needed, it appears that heart failure among postmenopausal women is not only highly prevalent but preventable by modifying diet,” Barbour said. “Heart failure is highly prevalent, especially in post-menopausal women; therefore, a better understanding of nutrition-related factors associated with heart failure is needed.”
The American Heart association recommends that people consume a diet containing mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish, and nuts while limiting red meat and sugary foods and beverages.
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REFERENCES:
1. “Mostly Meat, High Protein Diet Linked to Heart Failure in Older Women.” American Heart Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.
