Protein-rich diets as unhealthy as smoking

Diet: Meat and cheese food as unhealthy as smoking?

06/03/2014

For many people who want to lose pounds, protein-rich diets are currently on trend. Much meat, eggs, milk and cheese, but hardly any carbohydrates: Weight loss takers who rely on such a high-protein diet, according to a recent US study, increase the risk of developing cancer and dying sooner.

Higher risk of cancer due to protein-rich diet
Diets, such as Atkins, are currently in vogue. Much meat, eggs, milk and cheese and hardly any carbohydrates: A diet according to the so-called low-carb principle. However, such slimming diets are controversial among experts. A recent study from the US now shows that especially people under 65 who rely on a protein-rich diet, a higher risk of dying of cancer. For the over-65s, however, this looks quite different. This was the conclusion of a team of scientists headed by Valter Lono, professor of biogerontology at the University of Southern California and director of the Longevity Institute. The results are in the journal „Cell metabolism“ appeared.

High protein diet is useful for over 65s
According to the study, people under the age of 65, who eat a lot of animal protein, are four times more likely to die from cancer, diabetes and other diseases. For the over-65s, on the other hand, things look very different. According to the scientists, the relationship is reversed, and in the case of the elderly, the risk of dying from protein-rich food is reduced. This effect involved the so-called IGF-I value in the blood, which slowly decreases during the course of adult life. High-protein diets are therefore more useful for older people, because they help supplemental protein from the diet to keep the IGF level in the blood at normal levels. Too much protein leads to too high an IGF level in the younger ones and this is associated with an increased risk of cancer. For the study, data from 6,381 over 50-year-old women and men had been evaluated in the US over a period of 18 years. In addition, scientists compared the data with mouse and cell studies to investigate the relationship between proteins and aging, disease and mortality.

Plant proteins act differently
The study has also shown that plant proteins, such as those found in beans or legumes, appear to have a different effect than animal proteins and no impact on mortality. However, nutrition experts have pointed out that it is too early to draw conclusions from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) on which the study is based. The NHANES accompanied a representative group of Americans of all ages who had their eating habits recorded for a year. For the now published study of the California researchers, the approximately 6,000 people over 50 who participated in the survey were examined. According to the experts, in order to eat a healthy diet, one should rather dispense with proteins into old age and then feed on predominantly animal protein.

Comparison with smokers irresponsible
However, the nature and implementation of the study meets with criticism. So only eating habits, but not the rest of the lifestyle, such as sporting activities, are considered. In addition, it was not recorded whether the persons were already ill before the survey. But above all, one point is currently being discussed intensively in the USA. In a statement from the university, it was provocative: „This chicken wing you eat can be as deadly as a cigarette.“ Health experts criticize this comparison of people who eat a lot of meat and other animal products with smokers massively. Regardless of the interpretations of the study, the comparison with smokers is irresponsible, as animal proteins are modest in moderation, but smoking is always harmful.

Meaty foods can lead to kidney stones or gout
Like almost all diets, even those who rely on protein-rich diet, are controversial among experts. Studies such as the so-called Diogenes study, although a few years ago, showed that a diet rich in protein helps with weight loss, but this is mainly because the feeling of satiety is better than other methods. But nutrition experts have long pointed out that such a diet over a longer period of time can also cause health problems. For example, meat-rich nutrition leads to an increase in the formation of uric acid in the body, which in the long term can lead to kidney stones or gout in some people.

Red meat increases the risk of cancer and infarction
Above all, the excessive consumption of red meat, such as beef, pork or lamb, is viewed critically. Thus, a long-term study lasting more than 30 years at Harvard University with more than 120,000 participants came to the conclusion that red meat increases the risk of developing cancer or suffering a heart attack. The participants who ate red meat every day during the study period had a 13 percent higher risk of dying than the other subjects. The risk of fatal cardiovascular disease was 18 percent higher and that of fatal cancer by 10 percent. In addition, red meat and sausage products from beef and pork, according to the German Cancer Research Center, are suspected to increase the risk of colon cancer. This has to do with the high iron content of these meats, which gives them their red color.

Lower intake of animal protein
The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) advises to eat a maximum of 300 to 600 grams of meat every week. In addition, they indicated that protein intake may be between the recommended daily intake of 0.8 grams and a maximum allowable intake of 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight. The head of the US study, Valter Longo, recommends: „Apparently it is best to reduce the daily intake of all proteins, especially animal protein. But you should not be too extreme in the protein reduction. One can move from protected to very fast to undernourished status.“ (Sb)