Consuming animal protein may lower cancer mortality risk, study finds

A long-running debate in nutrition circles has asked whether eating more meat puts your health at risk compared to getting protein from plants. A new study, however, is offering some clarity: eating animal protein doesn’t raise your chances of dying from heart disease, cancer, or any cause—and it might even lower cancer-related risks.

To answer these questions, researchers turned to one of the most comprehensive U.S. health surveys ever done. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), which ran between 1988 and 1994, they followed nearly 16,000 adults aged 19 and older for close to two decades. By 2006, they had a clear picture of who had passed away and from what causes.

Diet records were carefully collected, but instead of relying on a single day’s food diary, the team applied advanced methods to capture typical eating habits over time. They used techniques such as the National Cancer Institute method and multivariate Markov Chain Monte Carlo modeling—powerful tools that reduce errors caused by memory slips or daily diet changes. This gave them a more reliable picture of how much protein, both animal and plant-based, people usually consumed.

The results were then plugged into hazard ratio models to see if eating more of either type of protein had any bearing on the risk of death from any cause, heart disease, or cancer. The researchers even checked whether small increases—five or ten grams more per day—changed the outcome.

The findings were refreshingly straightforward. Eating more animal protein was not linked to a higher risk of death. Plant protein also showed no strong effect either way. Whether someone ate more meat or leaned toward beans and grains, the risk of dying from any cause stayed the same.

When the focus shifted to heart disease specifically, the same pattern held true: neither animal nor plant protein appeared to alter the risk. Younger adults, older adults, and groups divided by age all showed similar outcomes.

Cancer, however, told a different story. Here, higher intake of animal protein was linked with a modest but statistically meaningful reduction in cancer-related deaths. Each five- or ten-gram increase in daily intake appeared to slightly lower cancer mortality risk. Plant protein did not show this protective effect.

Because past research suggested a hormone called IGF-1 might influence cancer and mortality, the researchers also studied blood levels of this compound in a subset of participants. IGF-1 has often been tied to higher disease risk. Yet in this analysis, IGF-1 levels didn’t predict deaths from any cause. That meant the hormone wasn’t driving the protein results.

The work, published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, is important because it challenges some of the earlier warnings about animal protein. Previous studies had suggested that eating more meat might increase the risk of certain diseases, especially cancer. This new research, which used more precise tools and tracked a large group of people for years, suggests the opposite may be true.

“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,” says Stuart Phillips, Professor and Chair of the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University, who supervised the project.

Lead researcher Yanni Papanikolaou, president of Nutritional Strategies, echoed this point. “When both observational data like this and clinical research are considered, it’s clear both animal and plant protein foods promote health and longevity,” he explained.

The research received funding from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association as part of a beef promotion program. However, the scientists emphasized that the association did not influence the study design, analysis, or reporting. By being upfront about funding sources and potential conflicts of interest, the authors aimed to ensure readers could assess the findings with confidence.

For anyone trying to balance their plate, the take-home message is reassuring. Eating animal protein doesn’t make you more likely to die early from heart disease or other causes. It may even offer modest protection against cancer-related deaths. Plant protein remains safe but doesn’t seem to provide the same benefit in this study.

Of course, this was an observational study, which means it can highlight patterns but cannot prove cause and effect. The findings show association, not direct proof that meat reduces cancer deaths. Still, when placed alongside decades of clinical trial data, the results make a strong case that both types of protein can fit into a healthy, balanced diet.

This research provides reassurance that you don’t need to avoid animal protein for fear of harming your long-term health. The small but significant link between animal protein and lower cancer mortality could influence future dietary guidelines and encourage more nuanced public health messaging.

For researchers, the results open the door to new studies exploring why animal protein might have this protective effect.

For everyday people, the study supports eating a varied diet that includes both animal and plant protein sources without guilt or worry.

Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News.

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