Poultry
From the YapSpan Longevity Wiki · Updated 2026-10-01
Poultry is the meat of domesticated birds, mainly chicken and turkey, and also duck and goose. It is often called white meat, in contrast with the red meat of cattle, pigs and sheep, and it is eaten roasted, grilled, fried or in processed forms such as nuggets and deli slices.
A meta-analysis (a study that pools the results of earlier studies) of prospective studies (studies that follow people forward in time) found a small inverse association: people with the highest poultry intake had 4% lower all-cause mortality (death from any cause) than those with the lowest [1]. The authors described the association as trivial and graded the certainty of the evidence very low to low.
- The highest poultry intake was associated with 4% lower all-cause mortality than the lowest [1].
- Each extra 100 g of poultry a day showed no association with death or heart disease in the pooled data [1].
- Replacing red or processed meat with poultry was associated with lower risk of death, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke [1].
- A separate review of white meat found an odds ratio of 0.94 for all-cause mortality at the highest intake, and no clear association with cardiovascular death [2].
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YapSpan estimates are for reflection and entertainment only. They are not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a prediction of any individual outcome. Check with a doctor before making any medical decision.