Academic studies funded or supported by industry are 16 times more likely to draw positive conclusions about the health impacts of meat than independent research, a new review has found.
Public health experts at the University of Queensland reviewed 500 nutritional studies, including nearly 80 that had received funding or been penned by researchers linked to the meat and dairy sector.
These studies promoted the health and nutritional benefits of meat consumption – despite the majority of independent research pointing to health harms including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
The findings come amid a growing public craze for animal-based protein sources, with the livestock sector widely promoting meat consumption on health grounds.
Yet, science shows that over-consumption can lead to obesity, heart attacks, and premature death.
