WHO Reports Processed Meat Causes Cancer

Scientists from the World Health Organization said eating processed meats, including those that are smoked, cured or salted, pose the same cancer risk as smoking.

The Department of Health say the WHO findings have been sent to an expert group for consideration.

Also, be aware of where your food comes from will put you less at risk.

This doesn’t come as a surprise to Susan Gapstur with American Cancer Society.

The IARC Working Group considered more than 800 studies that investigated associations of more than a dozen types of cancer with the consumption of red meat or processed meat in many countries and populations with diverse diets.

He says processed meats, such as hot dogs, ham, sausages and corned beef, have carcinogens in them which can cause colon cancer.

The preparation of the IARC’s report has already prompted vigorous reactions from meat industry groups, which argue meat forms part of a balanced diet and that cancer risk assessments need to be set in a broader context of environmental and lifestyle factors. Just 50 grams a day – the equivalent of around one sausage or two slices of ham – can increase the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 per cent.

Doctors have warned that a diet loaded with red meat is linked to cancers, including those of the colon and pancreas.

“Processed meat is raw meat that has been transformed by any of several methods including curing, salting, smoking and also fermentation”.

While the study concludes that this is a small risk, the chances to get cancer go up if more processed or red meats are eaten more frequently.

The agency did not give out recommendations and said it did not have enough data to specify how much processed meat is bad for you.

These findings are compiled and voiced by a panel of 22 worldwide experts who did a review on decades of research done on the association of red meat, processed meats, and cancer.

“At the same time, red meat has nutritional value”, Dr. Wild said. “Whereas before it said [processed meat] takes the risk”, said Krystal Tallman, an oncology dietitian.