AsianScientist (Jul. 19, 2016) – Researchers in Singapore have shown that red meat intake may increase the risk of kidney failure, and substituting red meat with alternative sources of protein from time to time may significantly reduce this risk. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Increasing numbers of individuals are developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) and many progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant. Current guidelines recommend restricting dietary protein intake to help manage CKD and slow down the progression to ESRD, but evidence remains limited on its effectiveness.
Led by Professor Kon Woon-Puay from Duke-NUS Medical School, the research team set out to examine the relationship between dietary intake of major sources of protein and kidney function. They analyzed data from the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a prospective study of over 63,000 Chinese adults in Singapore.
For this population, 97 percent of red meat intake consisted of pork. Other food sources of protein included poultry, fish/shellfish, eggs, dairy products, soy, and legumes.
After an average follow-up of 15.5 years, the researchers found that red meat intake was strongly associated with an increased risk of ESRD in a dose-dependent manner. People consuming the highest amounts of red meat had a 40 percent increased risk of developing ESRD compared with people consuming the lowest amounts.
No association was found with intakes of poultry, fish, eggs or dairy products, while soy and legumes appeared to be slightly protective. Substituting one serving of red meat with other sources of protein reduced the risk of ESRD by up to 62 percent.
“We embarked on our study to see what advice should be given to CKD patients, or to the general population worried about their kidney health, regarding types or sources of protein intake,” said Koh.
“Our findings suggest that these individuals can still maintain protein intake but consider switching to plant-based sources; however, if they still choose to eat meat, fish, shellfish and poultry are better alternatives to red meat.”
The article can be found at: Lew et al. (2016) Red Meat Intake and Risk of End-Stage Renal Disease.
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Source: JASN; Photo: Shutterstock.
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