Consequences Of Eating Meat

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that causes memory, thinking, and behavior problems. In 2018, around 47 million people worldwide had Alzheimer’s disease. A study published in the journal Neurology reported an association between eating large amounts of red or processed meat and a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, researchers found that in western countries, individuals who ate 160 grams or more of red meat per day were almost twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease compared to individuals who ate less than 40 grams of red meat per day.

Many people argue that eating meat is fine because the animals are slaughtered humanely. But this argument has two major flaws. Animals still go through a tremendous amount of suffering before they become food. It can be difficult to kill an animal without causing immense pain, and killing an animal prevents it from experiencing the joys of life. Most farming practices treat animals as not sentient beings with feelings, preferences, hopes, and dreams. This failure to respect their subjective experiences contributes to unnecessary animal suffering on farms.

Acne is one of the most common skin conditions in the world. In 2016, acne affected an estimated 285 million people globally. Studies have found that eating large amounts of red or processed meat can increase your risk of developing acne. For instance, one study published in the Journal Of The Academy Of Nutrition And Dietetics found that girls with a high intake of processed meats had a 32% greater risk of severe acne than those with low intakes.

Obesity is a condition where excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health. In 2017, obesity caused about 3 million deaths worldwide. Research has shown that eating large amounts of red meat can increase your risk of developing obesity. For instance, one study found that increased red meat intake in adults was prospectively associated with weight gain and a greater odds of becoming obese over four years.

One study found that eating 160g of red meat per day was associated with a 10% increased risk of mortality and a 14% increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Another study estimated that, based on data from 10 European countries, 1-2 servings (50-100 g) of unprocessed and processed red meat each day were linked to a 1.12 to 2.20 times greater risk of dying than to not eating red meat. The findings persisted among those who never smoked, even those who weren’t obese or physically inactive. In other words, as one expert put it: “The less processed and red meat you consume, the lower your cancer and overall mortality will be.”