Drop that hot dog if you value your health

A customer shopping for meat at a supermarket in Chicago. — TNS

THE health case against regularly eating red meat keeps getting stronger. At what point is the data convincing enough for Americans to change their diets? One recent study found that eating red meat increases the risk of type 2 diabetes; another paper finds a diet low in meat, sugar and salt but rich in vegetables and legumes is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s.

And both studies – which followed thousands of people for decades – show that replacing even a few servings of meat can have an impact. There are also implications here for the legions of people expected to try the new class of obesity drugs called GLP-1s. While studies have shown the drugs can induce enough weight loss to improve cardiovascular and kidney health, a lower BMI doesn’t solve all ills.