Animal-sourced protein foods such as meat and dairy are not linked to a higher risk of death and may even offer some protective benefits against cancer-related mortality, according to new research from McMaster University.
The study, published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, examined dietary patterns of nearly 16,000 U.S. adults aged 19 and older using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Researchers analyzed both plant and animal protein intake and compared them with deaths from heart disease, cancer and all causes.
The results: eating more animal protein was not associated with increased mortality risk. In fact, participants who consumed more animal protein showed a small but significant reduction in cancer-related deaths. Plant protein intake showed minimal impact in this analysis, but the overall conclusion was that both plant and animal protein can fit into healthy eating patterns.
“There’s a lot of confusion around protein — how much to eat, what kind and what it means for long-term health. This study adds clarity, which is important for anyone trying to make informed, evidence-based decisions about what they eat,” said Stuart Phillips, professor and chair of McMaster’s Department of Kinesiology.
To strengthen the findings, the research team used advanced statistical modeling to capture long-term dietary intake and reduce errors common in food surveys. While observational studies like this cannot prove cause and effect, the researchers note the results are consistent with decades of clinical evidence showing that both plant and animal proteins support health and longevity.
This study was funded by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, which was not involved in study design, data collection, analysis or publication.