Worldwide, as income rises, so does the consumption of meat. Eating meat and other animal proteins can improve the health of those who are protein deficient, but a diet high in fat and calories is linked to serious health problems. Though meat is not the only dietary factor linked to these health problems, eating large amounts of meat is believed to be a contributing factor.

Many studies show strong links between red meat consumption and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. An Pan and colleagues from the Harvard School of Public Health evaluated the link between red meat (beef, pork, and lamb) in the diet and mortality (death) in participants enrolled in a long-term (22-year) study that followed the health and diet of more than 50,000 men. Results were adjusted for other variables that affect mortality, such as age, smoking, physical activity, body size, family history of disease, and other dietary choices. The data show that as daily red meat consumption goes up, so does one's risk of death. Comparable results were obtained from a similar study which followed more than 100,000 women from 1980 to 2008.