Higher Intake of Red Meat can Make You Age Faster

The body's biological age increases with higher consumption of red meat, contributing to health problems, says a new research.

Increased consumption of red meat combined with a poor overall diet, raises the levels of serum phosphate in the body and increases a person's biological age, in contrast to their chronological age.

‘Eating too much red meat may increase the body�s biological age and contribute to poor health.’

The chronological age is the years of age, whereas the biological age is the "miles on the clock."

The research led by the University of Glasgow looked at the participants from the most deprived to the least deprived in the NHS Greater Glasgow Health Board area. The study found that deprived males were the worst affected.

The results of the study suggested that the increased biological aging and diet-related phosphate levels among the most deprived males were directly related to their frequency of red meat consumption.

The increased consumption of red meat affects the most deprived because of their poor diet and poor intake of fruits and vegetables.

The researchers also found that high phosphate levels were also found to be linked to reduced kidney function and even underlying mild to moderate chronic kidney disease.

Professor Paul Shiels, of the university's Institute of Cancer Sciences, said, "Our observations indicate that elevated red meat consumption has adverse effects amongst deprived males, who already have a poor diet and eat less fruit and vegetables than recommended."

"We think in this group the effects of high serum phosphate intake may be exacerbated. Indeed, it's notable that these effects are not apparent among less deprived males, or in females, especially in the context of a more balanced diet."

Foods such as meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, and vegetables are high in phosphate. High phosphate levels in the body has been linked to increased mortality risk, premature vascular aging and kidney disease.

Prof Shiels added, "Strikingly, many of the subjects had kidney function indicative of incipient or early onset chronic kidney disease."

"It has also not escaped our attention that red meat product quality and preservation may have an impact on the diets of the most deprived and their associated health."

The study entitled Accelerated Aging and Renal Dysfunction Links Lower Socioeconomic Status and Dietary Phosphate Intake, has been published in the journal Aging.

Source: Medindia