Red meat sugar Neu5Gc linked to higher type 2 diabetes risk in French study

Preliminary findings presented at EASD 2026 suggest that a sugar in red meat, N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), is associated with a higher relative risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers analyzing data from 89,953 French adults found that those with the highest estimated meat-derived Neu5Gc intake had a 63% higher relative risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those with the lowest intake, even after adjusting for factors like age, sex, and overall diet. The observational study does not prove causation, and the association weakened after adjusting for total red meat consumption. Researchers hypothesize that Neu5Gc may trigger an inflammatory immune response, but they stress the findings are preliminary and require confirmation.