Meat consumption and its associations with other diet and health factors in young adults: The CARDIA study

Using cross-sectional data from the longitudinal Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, we assessed associations between meat consumption and other dietary- and health-status indicators. Less than one percent of this sample (n = 32) ate no red meat or poultry, and another 1% (n = 47) ate red meat or pultry less than once per week. Individuals who ate red meat and poultry less than once per week were less likely to drink alcohol (P = 0.003); reported more physical activity (P ≤0.001); had higher Keys scores (P ≤0.001); consumed diets higher in carbohydrates, starch, fiber, vitamins A and C, and calcium and lower in energy, fat, and protein (P ≤0.001); had smaller body sizes as indicated by the body mass index [calculated as wt(kg)/ht(m²)] (P = 0.01); and had lower concentrations of total serum cholesterol (P = 0.001), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.001), and triglycerides (P = 0.015) compared with individuals who consumed meat more frequently.