Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago

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Harvard's paper, red meat = diabetes, launched 100 headlines, all positive. And 20 YouTubes, all negative. Who got it right?

PAPERS:

Red meat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in a prospective cohort study of United States females and males
ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(23)66119-2/fulltext

Substitution of animal-based with plant-based foods on cardiometabolic health and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies
bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-023-03093-1

Red meat consumption and risk factors for type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
nature.com/articles/s41430-022-01150-1

Meat Cooking Methods and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Results From Three Prospective Cohort Studies
diabetesjournals.org/care/article/41/5/1049/36533/Meat-Cooking-Methods-and-Risk-of-Type-2-Diabetes

NEWS:

Red meat consumption associated with increased type 2 diabetes risk
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/red-meat-consumption-associated-with-increased-type-2-diabetes-risk/

What to Know About the Link Between Red Meat and Type 2 Diabetes
nytimes.com/2023/10/20/well/eat/red-meat-diabetes.html

Eating red meat twice a week may increase type 2 diabetes risk, study finds
theguardian.com/science/2023/oct/19/eating-red-meat-twice-a-week-may-increase-type-2-diabetes-risk-study-finds

Eating red meat linked to higher risk of type 2 diabetes, study finds
cnn.com/2023/10/19/health/red-meat-type-2-diabetes-risk-study-wellness/index.html

Eating Red Meat Is Linked to Type 2 Diabetes Risk, New Study Finds
smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/eating-red-meat-is-linked-to-type-2-diabetes-risk-new-study-finds-180983121

For Health, More Nuts, Beans and Whole Grains
nytimes.com/2023/11/15/well/eat/plant-based-diet-nuts-beans-grains.html

Study links red meat to increased risk of Type 2 diabetes
deseret.com/2023/10/20/23925341/type-2-diabetes-red-meat-increase-risk-harvard-study

TIME magazine cover story: physiologist Ancel Keys (public PDF)
drive.google.com/file/d/1at-yiv3vKZWFLwLkngVr8B16DSvd3ewc/view?usp=sharing

VIDEOS:

Red Meat Causes Diabetes? New Study should Concern Carnivores by Ken Berry
youtu.be/bdYrTW8Kikk?si=X5t02xLKuRE8JWXu

Red Meat causes Diabetes? Ben Bikman, PhD Explains the Hidden Truth
youtube.com/live/JSHAmK-0duM?si=90v0zTznRy_Y861_

'Red Meat Causes Diabetes' Harvard Scientists Claim (Study Breakdown) by Mike Mutzel
youtube.com/watch?v=K6av1YxaTW0

'Red Meat Causes Diabetes’ Experts Claim: Study Flaws Are Concerning by Mike Mutzel
youtube.com/watch?v=jiJJTpKjrBA

Red meat gives you diabetes!! New study!! By Shawn Baker
youtube.com/watch?v=cKPD9UvGcQ0

HARVARD SAYS RED MEAT CAUSES DIABETES! - Dr. Westman Reacts
youtube.com/watch?v=mecRlVXMo7U

Red Meat Does Not Cause Diabetes by Bret Scher
youtube.com/watch?v=cia9GXVoTM4

Harvard - RED MEAT CAUSES #DIABETES? Hmm…: Health Journey Vlog 33
youtube.com/watch?v=jbGv1GHjTNs

BLOGS:

Harvard Has Been Anti-Meat for 30+ Years—Why? by Nina Teicholz
unsettledscience.substack.com/p/harvard-has-been-anti-meat-for-30

Red meat & Type 2 Diabetes by Zoe Harcombe
zoeharcombe.com/2023/10/red-meat-type-2-diabetes

Red meat and diabetes—a tenuous connection by Ronald Hoffman
drhoffman.com/article/red-meat-and-diabetes-a-tenuous-connection

Does red meat cause diabetes? Maybe only at Harvard
https://www.carnisostenibili.it/en/does-red-meat-cause-diabetes-maybe-only-at-harvard/

BOOKS:

Your Simple Guide to Reversing Type 2 Diabetes by Roy Taylor
amazon.com/Your-Simple-Guide-Reversing-Diabetes/dp/1780724993

Nutritional Epidemiology by Walter Willett
amazon.com/Nutritional-Epidemiology-Monographs-Biostatistics/dp/0199754039

A Change of Heart: How the People of Framingham, Massachusetts, Helped Unravel the Mysteries of Cardiovascular Disease by Daniel Levy
amazon.com/Change-Heart-Unraveling-Mysteries-Cardiovascular/dp/0375727043

0:00 Coverage of the Harvard Study
2:10 Xiao Gu: Epidemiology vs Biostatistics
3:01 News vs YouTubers
3:43 Epidemiology & Framingham
6:07 How Beef Has Changed
6:56 Food Frequency Questionnaires
10:50 The Study Participants
13:55 Ideological Vegetarianism?
16:42 Zoe Harcombe's Blog
20:33 Losing Our Minds with Anecdotes
22:07 Harvard Epidemiology
23:28 Short Term Trials Fail
27:16 Advances in Epidemiology
32:10 Meat Eaters Have Less Healthy Habits?
33:31 Mediators and Confounders
34:52. Causal Inference
36:34 The Bradford Hill Criteria
38:53 Red Meat A Bigger Factor for Exercisers?
40:02 Fish is Surprisingly Hazardous
42:35 Why Harvard Shows a Stronger Association