Total Protein Usual Intake Is Associated With Reduced Risk of All-Cause and Heart Disease Mortality in US Adults

• Published in: Current developments in nutrition Vol. 5; no. Supplement_2; p. 1079
• Main Authors: Papanikolaou, Yanni, Fulgoni III, Victor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.06.2021; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Nutritional Epidemiology
• ISSN: 2475-2991; 2475-2991
• DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzab053_072

Studies have linked animal protein intake with an increased risk in mortality from all-causes and certain chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease. The objective of the current analysis was to examine associations between usual intake of total and animal protein from various sources and all-cause, cancer, and heart disease-related mortality risk. Data for adults (≥19 y; N = 54,830) from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and NHANES 1999–2014 were linked with mortality data through 2015. Individual protein usual intakes were estimated using the National Cancer Institute method. Hazard ratio (HR) models were fit for mortality types (all cause, cancer, heart disease) and measures of total and animal protein usual intake. Multivariable analysis further adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, waist circumference, smoking status, education level, chronic condition status (i.e., based on cancer, myocardial infarct, and diabetes/diabetes medication reported), weight loss attempts, and % kcal from total fat. Total protein usual intake was associated with 10% and 13% lowered risk of mortality from all-causes [HR = 0.90; CI: 0.82–0.99; P = 0.003] and heart disease [HR = 0.87; CI: 0.72–1.05; P = 0.05], respectively. No associations were observed between total protein intake and cancer mortality risk [HR = 0.98; CI: 0.80–1.21; P = 0.84]. No associations were seen between animal protein intake and mortality risk from all-causes [Quartile trend HR = 0.97; confidence intervals (CI): 0.91–1.04; P = 0.32], cancer [HR = 1.08; CI: 0.95–1.23; P = 0.13] and heart disease [HR = 0.98; CI: 0.85–1.13; P = 0.73]. No associations were seen between total dairy protein intake and all-cause and cancer mortality risk, however, there was an 11% reduced risk in heart disease mortality [HR = 0.89; CI: 0.80–1.00; P = 0.008]. No significant associations were seen between total red meat (beef, pork, lamb) protein usual intake and all-cause, cancer, and heart disease-related mortality risk. These results contradict previous findings that have linked animal protein intake to increased mortality risk from all-causes, cancer and heart disease. Further, total protein consumption may help lower all-cause and heart disease-related mortality risk in adults. Funded by the Beef Checkoff.