Does eating ham, bacon and beef really increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes?

That lunchtime staple, the humble ham sandwich, has come in for a bashing in the press recently. According to many reports, eating two slices of ham a day can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

But what’s the science behind these headlines?

The research offers a more complex picture. A new study from the University of Cambridge highlighted an association between developing type 2 diabetes and eating processed meat like ham and bacon, and red meat such as beef and lamb.