Protein-rich diet just as bad as smoking,

Middle-aged people who eat protein-rich food are four times more likely to die of cancer than someone who only eats a little, according to a new study, The Independent reported Wednesday.

The researchers said eating a lot of protein increased the risk of cancer almost as much as smoking 20 cigarettes a day.

They reached their findings, published in the journal Cell: Metabolism, after tracking thousands of people over 20 years.

“We provide convincing evidence that a high-protein diet - particularly if the proteins are derived from animals - is nearly as bad as smoking for your health,” one of the academics behind the work, Dr Valter Longo, of the University of Southern California, told The Daily Telegraph.

A high-protein diet was defined as one in which 20 percent of the calories came from protein. They recommended eating 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day during middle age.