WHO - Processed meats cause cancer

[Eyepopper]

EATING SAUSAGES, HAM and other processed meats causes colorectal cancer, and red meat ”probably” too, the World Health Organisation’s cancer research agency said today.

The findings support “recommendations to limit intake of meat”, said the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which compiled a review of more than 800 studies on the link between a meat diet and cancer.

“In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance,” IARC official Kurt Straif said in a statement.

For an individual, the risk of getting cancer from eating processed meat was statistically “small”, said the agency, but “increases with the amount of meat consumed”.

Each 50-gram (1.8-ounce) portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.

The report was compiled by 22 experts from 10 countries.

Strong evidence

The evaluation revealed “strong mechanistic evidence supporting a carcinogenic effect” for red meat consumption – mainly for cancer of the colon and rectum, but also the pancreas and prostate, said the agency based in Lyon, France.

Red meat includes beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse and goat.

As for processed meat – including hot dogs, sausages, corned beef or canned meat – there was “sufficient evidence in humans that the consumption of processed meat causes colorectal cancer”.

Meat can be processed in various ways, through salting, curing, fermentation or smoking.

Given that red meat is an important source of human nutrition, the results should help governments and regulatory agencies balance the risk and benefits of eating meat, said the agency.

It did not make a finding on whether the cooking method of meat affects the cancer risk.

The agency added processed meat to the same category of cancer-causing agents as tobacco smoke and asbestos, but stressed this did not mean it was just as dangerous.

 

[TheSamulator]

feck me I must be absolutely riddled with cancer by now.

RIP in peace me.

 

[VeevaVee]

I think if you're eating those things every day anyway you're heading down the wrong path.

Like anything, if you have a sustained amount of it over a long period of time it's going to have an affect on you.
If you have a negligible amount every now and then it won't do a lot.

 

[Rado_N]

Totally worth it.

 

[Eyepopper]

I worked with a client about 10 years ago who ran a chicken processing factory, producing nuggets, burgers etc for soem fairly major brands and the fast food industry, chatting the manager of the place he said one piece of advice he would give me was never eat anything that came from his factory.

I honestly don't know why more strict controls aren't put in place in the food industry. When you consider the way alcohol and tobacco are controlled - basically lifestyle choices - and the effort that is put into educating people on them, it seems mad to me that more isn't put into place for something which everyone uses.

The lack of awareness people have about what goes into their bodies is staggering to me. Added to that that, with a little bit of information it really isn't hard or much of an inconvenience to eat more healthily. I avoid processed food of all sorts as much as possible. Cooking something fresh from scratch rarely takes more effort than using processed foods and if anything it's actually cheaper than buying processed stuff that is generally either full of salt, sugar or fat.

I always remember a 'Tescos finest' shepards pie I used to absolutely loved, when I checked the nutritional info on it one day, I worked out that 1 pie included about 120% of your recommended daily saturated fat.

When you look at the blame levelled at tobacco & alcohol for putting strain on health services, I just can't understand why issues like this aren't tackled more pro-actively.

 

[Member 39557]

Bacon and Steak taste so nice though. Everything kills us these days, if you lived your life by all these findings then you'd be living on lentils and vitamin tablets.

 

[justboy68]

Red meat isn't red by the time us Brits have finished cooking it anyway. Frenchies should be concerned though.

There does come a point where you have to weigh up the benefits against the risk. I think I enjoy sausages too much to give them up to be honest.

 

[Roman Bellic]

We are all going to die anyway.

 

[senorgregster]

Bacon and Steak taste so nice though. Everything kills us these days, if you lived your life by all these findings then you'd be living on lentils and vitamin tablets.

Vitamin pills can be very damaging too.

 

[Eyepopper]

I think if you're eating those things every day anyway you're heading down the wrong path.

Like anything, if you have a sustained amount of it over a long period of time it's going to have an affect on you.
If you have a negligible amount every now and then it won't do a lot.

But thats the problem, convenience. So many people have no idea about nutrition and assume that certain processed foods are healthy.

Some of the advertising on processed foods is also highly questionable.

 

[Eyepopper]

Bacon and Steak taste so nice though. Everything kills us these days, if you lived your life by all these findings then you'd be living on lentils and vitamin tablets.

Or, you know, food that isn't produced in a factory and loaded with salt, sugar & fat.

 

[senorgregster]

EATING SAUSAGES, HAM and other processed meats causes colorectal cancer, and red meat ”probably” too, the World Health Organisation’s cancer research agency said today.

The findings support “recommendations to limit intake of meat”, said the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which compiled a review of more than 800 studies on the link between a meat diet and cancer.

“In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance,” IARC official Kurt Straif said in a statement.

For an individual, the risk of getting cancer from eating processed meat was statistically “small”, said the agency, but “increases with the amount of meat consumed”.

Each 50-gram (1.8-ounce) portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.

The report was compiled by 22 experts from 10 countries.

Strong evidence

The evaluation revealed “strong mechanistic evidence supporting a carcinogenic effect” for red meat consumption – mainly for cancer of the colon and rectum, but also the pancreas and prostate, said the agency based in Lyon, France.

Red meat includes beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse and goat.

As for processed meat – including hot dogs, sausages, corned beef or canned meat – there was “sufficient evidence in humans that the consumption of processed meat causes colorectal cancer”.

Meat can be processed in various ways, through salting, curing, fermentation or smoking.

Given that red meat is an important source of human nutrition, the results should help governments and regulatory agencies balance the risk and benefits of eating meat, said the agency.

It did not make a finding on whether the cooking method of meat affects the cancer risk.

The agency added processed meat to the same category of cancer-causing agents as tobacco smoke and asbestos, but stressed this did not mean it was just as dangerous.

I've been telling people about this for years. Processing of animal meat is on the up again as the industry try to squeeze every penny. I'm also very fearful of what we are doing to crops, fruit and veg. I think we are going to look back in 20 odd years and wonder how we let it happen.

 

[Eyepopper]

We are all going to die anyway.

True, I'd rather go out not having had to have a bag attached to my intestines and being pumped full of chemo though.

 

[senorgregster]

Or, you know, food that isn't produced in a factory and loaded with salt, sugar & fat.

This is why I have concern over what many consider healthy foods. You know, things like fruit and veg. Only they can be loaded with poorly studied chemicals. It leads to a false sense of security.

 

[711]

Coming between me and my bacon would be very bad for your health.

 

[Angelinho]

Damn - things were looking up when they said short people were less likely to get cancer. Alas, now I'm truly screwed.

 

[Member 39557]

Or, you know, food that isn't produced in a factory and loaded with salt, sugar & fat.

That goes without saying.

You know what I mean though, every other week there seems to be a new study informing us that a certain food/lifestyle choice will kill us. Often they're contradicted by a similar study months later.

I just try and eat as balanced a diet as possible, limit snacks, exercise a lot and hope for the best.

 

[Rado_N]

True, I'd rather go out not having had to have a bag attached to my intestines and being pumped full of chemo though.

Bacon, though.

 

[rcoobc]

WHO looks at things on a macro scale (a term I dislike). They are recommending that people eat less meat on a national scale.

Individually, it probably won't make much difference. I don't eat any meat but seeing as I get sunburn as soon as I step outside, I'm probably dying anyway

 

[rcoobc]

You know what I mean though, every other week there seems to be a new study informing us that a certain food/lifestyle choice will kill us. Often they're contradicted by a similar study months later.

Only if you read the dailymail or cosmo. From a scientists perspective, the recommendations change very slowly over time (but often do still contradict each other).

 

[Eyepopper]

Bacon, though.

Your colostomy bag becoming unstuck, though.

That goes without saying.

You know what I mean though, every other week there seems to be a new study informing us that a certain food/lifestyle choice will kill us. Often they're contradicted by a similar study months later.

I just try and eat as balanced a diet as possible, limit snacks, exercise a lot and hope for the best.

I seriously doubt we'll see the WHO come out with a study saying the stuff that goes into processed meats is ok.

Another issue is the 'clean labelling' policy being followed by the food industry globally - a deliberate policy to make it harder for customers to actually know what they are eating.

 

[senorgregster]

That goes without saying.

You know what I mean though, every other week there seems to be a new study informing us that a certain food/lifestyle choice will kill us. Often they're contradicted by a similar study months later.

I just try and eat as balanced a diet as possible, limit snacks, exercise a lot and hope for the best.

I know what you are saying, I think, but to clarify these studies just say the choice will increase the probability of death by cancer. Just like smoking and lung cancer. But your approach is pretty much what I think people should do.

 

[Rado_N]

You colostomy bag becoming unstuck though.

There's no way I'm giving up bacon.

To my mind, as with all these things, moderation is key.

 

[Eyepopper]

Personally I think taxes should be introduced based on the content of foods.

With health services splitting at the seams I can't think of any sensible reason why the industries profiting from filling people with crap shouldn't be targeted to provide the additional funding they need.

Seriously can't believe sugar taxes haven't been introduced given the diabetes epidemic, although when you look at the revenue of some of these companies and the numbers they employ it gets a little easier to understand.

 

[senorgregster]

WHO looks at things on a macro scale (a term I dislike). They are recommending that people eat less meat on a national scale.

Individually, it probably won't make much difference. I don't eat any meat but seeing as I get sunburn as soon as I step outside, I'm probably dying anyway

don't eat too much meat and try to use clothing with a high spf. Simples. You are going to live forever!

 

[Member 39557]

Your colostomy bag becoming unstuck, though.



I seriously doubt we'll see the WHO come out with a study saying the stuff that goes into processed meats is ok.

Another issue is the 'clean labelling' policy being followed by the food industry globally - a deliberate policy to make it harder for customers to actually know what they are eating.

Labelling standards have to be the way forward. Still, I bet I'm in the minority as somebody who does scan the ingredients/nutritional information on pretty much everything I eat that isn't "natural"

 

[VeevaVee]

But thats the problem, convenience. So many people have no idea about nutrition and assume that certain processed foods are healthy.

Some of the advertising on processed foods is also highly questionable.

Yeah, that's true. I think my generation are more aware than my parents' when it comes to nutrition and the like but it's still a huge problem.

 

[Roman Bellic]

Vegan gains must be on cloud nine right now.

 

[Zarlak]

Or, you know, food that isn't produced in a factory and loaded with salt, sugar & fat.

And even then there's 'evidence' that this can kill you too. People can spin it any way they want. The quoted article even says the risk is statistically small but a statistically large reaction to it will take place. Going out in the sun can give you cancer.

Out of interest though since I didn't see it in the article, where it says 'Each 50-gram (1.8-ounce) portion of processed meat eaten daily'

How long does this daily intake have to occur for this 18% increase to take place? I'd be alarmed if it was processed meat eaten daily for 7 days increases risk by 18% than say, daily consumption over 20 years.

 

[Member 39557]

Yeah, that's true. I think my generation are more aware than my parents' when it comes to nutrition and the like but it's still a huge problem.

I'm not so sure.

When my parents were young, there were far less obese people around. I think convenience food has pretty much replaced traditional cooking for a large part of the population, coupled with larger portion sizes. Maybe they're more aware, but they don't seem to be doing much about it.

 

[Eyepopper]

And even then there's 'evidence' that this can kill you too. People can spin it any way they want. The quoted article even says the risk is statistically small but a statistically large reaction to it will take place. Going out in the sun can give you cancer.

Out of interest though since I didn't see it in the article, where it says 'Each 50-gram (1.8-ounce) portion of processed meat eaten daily'

How long does this daily intake have to occur for this 18% increase to take place? I'd be alarmed if it was processed meat eaten daily for 7 days increases risk by 18% than say, daily consumption over 20 years.

Do you think there are significant numbers of people out there not eating that amount of processed food consistently over prolonged periods?

Have a look at global revenues for some of the larger food producers.

Thats before we go into schools, hospitals etc regularly serving up processed foods.

 

[Eboue]

Counterpoint: they taste good.

 

[Eyepopper]

Yeah, that's true. I think my generation are more aware than my parents' when it comes to nutrition and the like but it's still a huge problem.

Thats interesting. I'd say its the total opposite, but my parents were very knowledgeable about food, my dad was a chef.

Even at that I only really became aware of how bad processed food actually was when I was weight training and got really anal about my nutrition.

 

[Zarlak]

Do you think there are people out there not eating that amount of processed food consistently over prolonged periods?

Have a look at global revenues for some of the larger food producers.

I don't doubt it at all, I'm just wondering how significant the findings are. If they said risk increases by 18% if you consume it daily for 40 years then the findings aren't really that significant imo. There would be far more worrying things for someone eating processed meat daily for that amount of time. If they found it happens for people eating it daily for 1 year then sure that would be incredibly worrying.

 

[Manchie]

What ? nowadays everything causes cancer

 

[Eyepopper]

I don't doubt it at all, I'm just wondering how significant the findings are. If they said risk increases by 18% if you consume it daily for 40 years then the findings aren't really that significant imo. There would be far more worrying things for someone eating processed meat daily for that amount of time. If they found it happens for people eating it daily for 1 year then sure that would be incredibly worrying.

It's a valid question and I don't know the answer, but the fact that they are classifying them in the same bracket as cigarettes, alcohol, asbestos and arsenic would suggest that the risk is relatively high to me.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

They do specifically state that the categorisation isn't about level of risk though.

 

[Eyepopper]

What ? nowadays everything causes cancer

Maybe that should make us a bit more conscious of what we are eating and allowing in certain industries rather than prompting us to ignore the studies and throw our eyes to heaven.

I suspect when people said similar when research showing links between smoking and cancer were first released.

 

[Eyepopper]

They do specifically state that the categorisation isn't about level of risk though.

That has left me a bit confused I admit. Does it basically mean that if you smoke the odds are that you smoke more and more consistently and therefore the level of risk is greater?

 

[RedRonaldo]

I am fecked. I eat sausage every day