Potential link found between red meat consumption and women’s mental health

Although there have been multiple previous studies showing that red meat consumption is beneficial to health, teams of scientists across Iran and Canada set out to examine the effect of red meat consumption on depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in Tehrani women.

The study examined the dietary intake and psychological disorders of 482 women aged between 20-50 years who had been referred to the health centres of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2018. Their dietary intake was evaluated through use of a food frequency questionnaire. Within the questionnaire, the red meat category was defined as the sum of red meats and organ meats. A validated Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS) questionnaire was also provided to analyse psychological disorders within the women.

The results showed that women in the highest quartile of red meat consumption had a significantly higher incidence of depression, anxiety, and stress in comparison to women in the lowest quartile of red meat consumption.

Although a significant relationship has been discovered between red meat intake and mental health issues in women, further studies will be required to confirm the findings.

Original study