Abstract
Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) poses a major burden of diseases on Saudi Arabia. One of the potential dietary risk factors which are associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases is meat consumption. This study aimed to find the prevalence of CAD among meat consumers whether red or white meat and processed or unprocessed meat. Method: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at the period from 5th November 2019 to 15th March 2020. A total of 220 people participated in the study conducted through a questionnaire distributed among Al-Ahsa residents. Results: The mean age of participants was 52.04 +/- 7.56. The mean BMI was 28.32 +/- 13.99. 126 (57.3%) of the participants were males and 94 (42.7%) were females. coronary artery disease (CAD) was present among 118 (53.6%) and absent in 102 (46.4%). The prevalence of CAD among unprocessed red meat consumers; n=76 (54.3%) was not found to be significantly different than that among white meat consumers; n=42 (52.5%). On the other hand, the prevalence of CAD was significantly different among participants among people who consume red meat at different frequencies. It was 50%, 44.4%, 78.9%in low, moderate, and high consumers respectively; P value 0.002. Moreover, significant CAD distribution was among processed meat consumers; n=35 (71.4%) versus unprocessed meat consumers; n=83 (48.5%). Conclusion: Consuming red meat at higher frequency and processed meat intakes were associated with higher prevalence of CAD.