Red meat consumption is associated with an increased risk for obesity. Two studies, one published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in February 2006 and the other in "The New England Journal of Medicine" in June 2011, found that people with greater red meat consumption were more likely to be overweight or obese than those who ate red meat less often or didn't consume red meat. Although this doesn't prove red meat causes weight gain, avoiding red meat might make it easier for you to lose weight.