Photograph by Taryn
A high-protein diet could be as dangerous as smoking 20 cigarettes per day, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Southern California.
In research published in the journal Cell Metabolism, the scientists found that those who ate a diet with high levels of animal protein, such as from meat, milk, and cheese, during middle age had a fourfold increase in the risk of death from cancer when compared to those eating a low protein diet. This mortality risk factor is comparable to smoking say researchers.
The study looked at 6,318 adults over the age of 50 over a period of nearly two decades and found that those who ate a high protein diet, defined as getting being more than 20% of daily calorie intake, were 74% more susceptible to early death from any cause than those who preferred a low-protein diet.
A high protein diet may pose a risk for those in their fifties and early sixties, but for those over 65, the researchers found that those who ate a moderate or high protein diet were less susceptible to disease.
