Eating less meat ‘increases weight loss’

Those who want to lose weight and keep it off can do so by eating less meat, a study has shown.

Researchers from Imperial College London set out to assess the association between the consumption of meat – including red meat, poultry and processed meat – and weight gain.

They used results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Physical Activity, Nutrition, Alcohol, Cessation of Smoking, Eating Out of Home and Obesity project.

It involved 103,455 men and 270,348 women aged from 25 to 70, who were recruited between 1992 and 2000 in ten different European countries.

“Total meat consumption was positively associated with weight gain in men and women, in normal-weight and overweight subjects,” the study authors write.

Their conclusion was that if slimmers cut down on meat they will be more successful in achieving their weight loss goals.

Last month, singer Jessica Simpson announced on her Twitter page that she had embarked on a vegan diet, cutting out all meat and dairy products.

Could you go without meat if it meant that you lost weight?