Draft Australian Dietary Guidelines (PDF, 3MB) - Eat For Health

2.4.2 The evidence for ‘lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs,nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans’In the following studies, serve sizes of the different foods are as included in the Australian Guide toHealthy Eating (see also Section 2.4.4, table 2.5).The evidence statements and gradings (A- convincing association, B- probable association, C-suggestive association) from the Evidence Report (literature from years 2002 – 2009) arepresented in the table below. This does not include evidence from other sources, such as the 2003Dietary Guidelines (where evidence was classified as level I, II or III in which individual studieswere classified according to their design but overall grades for relationships were not derived),although these sources have been used to inform the Guidelines.Evidence StatementConsumption of greater than100-120g/d red meat is associated with an increasedrisk of colorectal cancer.Consumption of fish more than once per week is associated with a reduced risk ofdeveloping dementia in older adults.Consumption of red meat is associated with risk of renal cancer.Consumption of at least 2 serves a week of fish is associated with reduced risk ofmortality from cardiovascular disease, and with reduced incidence of cardiovasculardisease.Consumption of fish at least twice a week is associated with a reduced risk ofstroke.Consumption of fish 2 or more times per week is associated with reduced risk ofage-related macular degeneration.Consumption of nuts (65-110 g per day) reduces cholesterol levels.GradeBBCCCCC2.4.2.1 Lean meatPast literature reporting on the health benefits and/or risks of consuming meat has beenpredominantly based on studies investigating the nutrient effects related to (for example) iron,protein or zinc in isolation [37] or the ability of the body to absorb nutrients rather than lookingat the whole food. Since 2003, the evidence linking meat consumption and increased risk ofdisease has strengthened in some areas and remains unclear in others. The evidence is difficult toDRAFT Australian Dietary Guidelines- December 2011 52