Objective To comprehensively review the relationship between poultry intake and chronic diseases.MethodsThe literatures were limited to human studies and written in English during 2002 to 2014 and in Chinese during 1997 to 2014. A total of 35 studies were included in this study. Among all the included studies, five studies were related to colorectal cancer (CRC), six to prostate cancer (PCA) and five to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The relationships between poultry intake and CRC, PCA and T2DM were evaluated with the method recommended by WHO.Results First, the poultry intake was not associated with CRC. Five studies were included in this analysis, in which three (including one systematic review, one cohort study and one case-control study) were not associated between the poultry intake with CRC, while two (including one case-control study and one cohort study) were negatively associated. Second, the poultry intake was not associated with PCA. Six studies were included in this analysis, in which two (including one case-control study and one cohort study) were not associated between the poulty intake with PCA, while two case-control studies were positively associated with fried chichen, and another two case-control studies negatively associated. Third, the poultry intake was not associated with T2DM. Five studies were included in this analysis, in which three (including one randomized controlled trial and two cohort studies) were not associated between the poultry intake and T2DM, while one cohort study not associated, but the processed poultry intake was positively associated. In another cohort study, the fried chicken intake was positively associated with T2DM. Finally, there were no enough data on the relationship between the poultry intake and the cardiovascular diseases (CVD), breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, blood pressure, obesity and anemia.Conclusion Poultry intake is not associated with CRC PCA or T2DM.