In a French cohort, the highest intake of a red-meat sugar tracked a 63% higher type 2 diabetes risk

What the research found

Study (observational, preliminary). Leopold Fezeu of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and colleagues presented an analysis of the NutriNet-Santé cohort at the EASD meeting in Milan (Medical Xpress 27 September 2026). Among 89,953 adults without diabetes or cancer at the start (average age 42; 79% women), dietary N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) was estimated from three 24-hour food records. Humans do not make Neu5Gc. It is common in red meat, especially beef and lamb, and lower in dairy. Over a median 7.2 years, 966 people developed type 2 diabetes. The highest fifth of meat-derived Neu5Gc had a 63% higher risk than the lowest fifth after accounting for age, sex, activity, diet quality, smoking, and other conditions. The second-highest fifth had a 41% higher risk. The association was seen in men and in women. In the highest fifth, men ate a median 97 g of red meat a day (136 g including processed meat) and women 73 g (96 g including processed meat). After also accounting for total red meat, the Neu5Gc association weakened and was no longer statistically significant, so the sugar may explain part of the meat link, not all of it. Dairy-derived Neu5Gc was not associated with diabetes. The authors estimate obesity accounted for about 13% of the meat-derived association. Results are preliminary and not yet finalized. This is not proof that cutting beef prevents diabetes. Educational notes.

Evidence level: Human study. A study in people, but an association isn't proof of cause.

Read the original at Université Sorbonne Paris Nord / EASD via Medical Xpress