AHDB has published an open letter to the medical journal ‘The Lancet’, formally requesting the retraction of its 2019 study, ‘The Global Burden of Disease’, which links red meat consumption to cancer.
The request comes following concerns about whether the medical journal’s 2019 publication was scrutinised by peers and conducted inline with appropriate accuracy measures. Multiple requests for further clarity have been made by the AHDB, with concerns also raised by nutrition and health academics in 2021 and another group with links to the World Cancer Research Fund in 2022.
The authors of the 2019 study published a response to AHDB’s letter on March 4, 2023, but the Board reports that the clarity they requested has not been provided, with questions surrounding any independent scrutiny of the data and the following of review protocols remaining unanswered.
A significant concern for AHDB is that the authors of The Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 published another study, independent of The Lancet, in late 2022 which found ‘weak evidence of association between unprocessed red meat consumption and colorectal cancer, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and ischemic heart disease’. It added: “Moreover … no evidence of an association between unprocessed red meat and ischemic stroke or haemorrhagic stroke.”
Despite this, AHDB report that The Global Burden of Disease 2019 continues to be used to support claims that red meat consumption is a cause of higher health risks.
The Global Burden of Disease is an influential dataset, used by policy makers all over the world to shape dietary and health guidelines, it has been referenced in 1000 scientific papers and up to 50 policy documents globally, including The National Food Strategy.
It is reviewed every two years, and its methodologies and review criteria is constantly evolving to ensure continued improvement and accuracy. However, between 2017 and 2019, the authors developed and implemented new review analysis which AHDB report to be “in isolation of competent scientific practice and international protocols”.
AHDB chief executive, Tim Ryecroft, said: “The Lancet is a highly regarded medical journal and The Global Burden of Disease dataset is incredibly influential in public health and nutrition policy, therefore it is imperative that this science follows due process and critical review to ensure the greatest accuracy and, not least, legitimacy.
“As an evidence-based organisation, we are particularly concerned about the lack of transparency around how this data has been analysed and the way in which the new evidence review criteria has been determined. Therefore, on behalf of our levy payers, we will continue to push for transparency on this, to ensure the health impacts of red meat consumption are accurately depicted in science, policy and indeed society.
“Red meat offers a valuable contribution to a healthy balanced diet, and the authors of The Global Burden of Disease acknowledge that evidence which shows a protective relationship between red meat consumption and stroke has been overlooked. As has its protective relationship with iron deficiency anaemia, sarcopenia and child and maternal malnutrition.”
AHDB report that its hopes that the health benefits red meat consumption brings to a balanced and healthy diet are reflected in the study’s 2021 update which is expected imminently.