Processed Meat Causes Cancer; Red Meat Probably Does, Too

[desrt]

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/processed-meat-causes-cancer-red-meat-probably-does-group-says-n451396

"Processed meat, such as bacon or hot dogs, causes cancer, a World Health Organization group said in a long-awaited determination on Monday. The group said red meat, including beef, pork and lamb, probably causes cancer, too.

Many studies show the links, both in populations of people and in tests that show how eating these foods can cause cancer, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said in its report, released in the Lancet medical journal.

"These findings further support current public health recommendations to limit intake of meat," Dr. Christopher Wild, who directs IARC, said in a statement.

Most reports on the links between meat and cancer have been softened with some element of doubt, but the IARC uses clear and direct language in saying processed meat causes cancer. There are no phrases such as "may cause" in the report.

"Overall, the Working Group classified consumption of processed meat as 'carcinogenic to humans' on the basis of sufficient evidence for colorectal cancer," the report reads.

"Additionally, a positive association with the consumption of processed meat was found for stomach cancer. The Working Group classified consumption of red meat as 'probably carcinogenic to humans'," it added.

"Consumption of red meat was also positively associated with pancreatic and with prostate cancer."

It also defines red meat.

"Red meat refers to unprocessed mammalian muscle meat—for example, beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse, or goat meat—including minced or frozen meat; it is usually consumed cooked," the IARC said in its report.

"Processed meat refers to meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation. Most processed meats contain pork or beef, but might also contain other red meats, poultry, offal (eg, liver), or meat byproducts such as blood."

It's not startling news - the evidence has been building for years that eating meat, especially processed and red meat, raises the risk of cancer.

It's been linked with breast cancer, colon cancer and may worsen prostate cancer.

The IARC assembled a team of experts to review all the evidence.

"The experts concluded that each 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent," the IARC said.

"For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed," said IARC's Dr. Kurt Straif.

"In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance."

The U.S. National Cancer Institute says several more studies are ongoing to assess the risk."

[orphanedhawk]

All things in moderation. This so-called study neglects to tell us what it is about these products that is supposedly cancer causing.
I recall a number of years ago, my husband and I laughing at what we called the cancer scare of the week. Back to keeping the fear-mongering going.

[Dee1956]

Desrt, thank you for sharing this.  I appreciate very much.  My son convinced us 15 years ago to stop eating red meat. He gave many reasons but one was that it took so long to digest it could cause illness by staying in your system so long.  Now it makes sense to me that it could cause cancer.  Of course after being diagnosed with the begining of cirrhosis I was glad we had stopped eating red meat.  Chicken and fish get boring but you learn to adapt.  Every once in a while my husband will "forget" and get a steak but that is a rare occurrence.  People with liver problems are sometimes told by their doctors, no red meat, no processed foods or TV Dinners,  etc as they aren' t good for the liver or maybe it is because the liver processes everything we eat drink, put on our skin so they want us to give our liver a break.  I have read following the heart healthy diet or read the book by Dean Ornish is a good idea.  Thanks again, please say hello to Riv for me

[Barb135]

""For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed," said IARC's Dr. Kurt Straif."

Processed meats have been linked to cancer for years, but by saying risk remains "small" because of consumption of processed meat, I have to wonder just how many pounds/day one would have to eat in order to get cancer from the processed meat.  Can't help think this might be something like the incident years ago when they came out saying that everything from oranges to potatoes was "poisonous", but as it turned out, a single person would have to eat some outrageous amount like 1000 lbs/day for 50 yrs in order for the food to be toxic...

It's getting to the point where we have to take these reports with a grain of salt and if possible, look up, and read, the actual study because media reports often put their own spin on something that's really quite benign.

The only part of the whole report I "might" believe is that red meat is "probably" carcinogenic and that's only because of the use of GMO's in the food fed to various farm animals.