In late 2019, a Texas A&M University study sparked debate by advising no changes to red meat consumption for North Americans and Europeans. Facing sharp criticism, the institution fired back in a letter to Harvard University.
Published in early October 2019, the Texas A&M study delivered a counterintuitive conclusion. Contrary to prevailing health guidelines, it determined that adults in Europe and North America need not alter their intake, deeming three to four servings per week acceptable for both red meat and processed meats.
This analysis synthesized reviews of nearly 800 global studies on red meat's health impacts. The researchers rated evidence linking red meat to cardiovascular disease and diabetes as very weak, arguing it does not support current reduction recommendations.
Just a week later, lead researcher Bradley Johnston from Dalhousie University's Department of Community Health and Epidemiology faced scrutiny. Johnston had previously co-authored a 2016 study on sugar overconsumption amid conflict-of-interest allegations.
Critics, primarily from Harvard University, published a rebuttal in JAMA on January 15, 2020 (PDF in English / 4 pages), alleging the study was funded by the beef industry. On January 22, 2020, Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp addressed Harvard President Lawrence S. Bacow in an open letter, calling the accusations "unethical" and insisting the research was driven solely by scientific evidence. Harvard has not responded publicly to the request for retraction.
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