Processed Meats Cause Cancer

7/31/2019 Processed Meats Cause Cancer

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In late 2007, the verdict came in. The American In-stitute or Cancer Research and the World CancerResearch Fund released the most comprehensive re-

view ever compiled on nutrition and cancer risk. Manyoods are linked to cancer, the report conrmed. Butit reserved some o its strongestlanguage or the link betweenprocessed meats, like hot dogsand bacon, and colorectal can-cer. The evidence was deemedconvincing, and no amount

was considered sae: Processedmeats should be avoided com-pletely.

The term processed meatsmeans those that are typicallyprepared or preserved by smok-ing, curing, or salting or bythe addition o preservatives.This includes ham, bacon,pastrami, and salami, as well

as hot dogs and sausages to which nitrites or nitrathave been added. Hamburgers and minced meamay be included as well, depending on processin

The reports conclusion was based on 44 case-cotrol studies (in which the diets o individuals wi

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Processed meats cause cancer.So why do schools feed them to children?

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cancer were compared with those o individuals whodid not have cancer, but who were similar in otherrespects) and 14 cohort studies (in which the dietso individuals were assessed beore cancer onset, andthe individuals were ollowed over time to track dietpatterns and cancer risk).

The risk o colorectal cancer increases, on average,by 21 percent or every 50 grams o processed meatconsumed daily. A 50-gram serving is about the sizeo a typical hot dog. Some studies have also linkedprocessed meats to cancer o the esophagus, lung,stomach, and prostate, but evidence is more limitedthan or colorectal cancer.

Like Tobacco and Lung Cancer

Why do processed meats cause cancer? From a scien-tic standpoint, the situation is very much like tobacco

and lung cancer: There are hundreds o chemicals intobacco smoke, and exactly which ones present thegreatest risk has never been entirely clear.

Processed meats contain at, especially saturatedat, as well as plenty o cholesterol and salt. Thenitrites that are oten used as a preservative, or as acoloring and favoring agent, can produce N-nitrosocompounds, which are suspected carcinogens. In ad-dition, meats cooked at high temperatures may con-tain carcinogens, including heterocyclic amines andpolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Heme iron is alsoplentiul in red and processed meats. Heme promotes

the production o carcinogens, and its iron contentalso leads to the production o ree radicals.

Despite the scientic consensus that these oodsshould never be eaten, let alone ed to children, they arestill widely consumed. According to the National HotDog & Sausage Council, more than 740 million hotdog packages were sold in 2007. On average, Americansconsume about 32 pounds o processed pork productseach year. Compared with whites, blacks consumeabout 15 percent more processed pork. Bacon is routinebreakast are or many Americans, and processed meatsgrace the top o pizzas everywhere.

The National Cancer Institute predicts that in 2008,108,070 individuals will develop colon cancer, 40,740

Who Invented the Hot Dog?Many g isrians rei (r blame) German immigrans

sing ars in Ne Yr ciys Bery ring e 1860s. As

Lina Sraley ries n WhatsCookingAmerica.net, ne German

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the Risk of Colon Cancer

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World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the

Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective. Washington, DC: AICR, 2007.

There are two things you dont want tosee being made: sausage and legislation.

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Whos EatingProcessed Meats?Men, eseially mile-age

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Processed Meat Increasesthe Risk of Diabetes

A harar sy mre an 40,000 eal ressinals se a

se ae gs, salami, ban, r sasages r imes

er ee inrease eir ris iabees by 35 eren. tse ae

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inrease ris.Van Dam RM, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB. Dietary fat and meat intake in relation to risk of type 2 di abetes

in men. Diabetes Care. March 2002;25(3).

Processed Meat Increases thRisk of Stomach Cancer

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Larsson SC, Orsini N, Wolk A.

Processed meat consumption

and stomach cancer risk: a

meta-analysis.J Natl Cancer Inst.

2006 Aug 2;98(15):1078-1087.

will develop rectal cancer, and 49,960 will die romthese conditions. Colorectal cancer is the ourth mostcommon cancer in both men and women.

Children at RiskAmericas children have never been at such high

risk or diet-related diseases. More than 16 percent ochildren and adolescents are overweight. One in threewill develop diabetes at some point in his or her lie.

Lietime cancer risk is now one in three or womeand one in two or men.

A growing number o health proessionals, legisltors, parents, and others concerned about this healcrisis have begun examining the role o school lunchin shaping childrens eating habits. Many Americacities have introduced bans or restrictions on sodcandy, ried oods, and other unhealthul products soin schools.

Caliornia, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, NeJersey, North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas ban or limthe amount o trans at in school oods or encouraschools to phase out the use o trans at in school oodSome cities and counties are passing similar bans.

Research shows eorts like these help. A studpublished in Pediatricsthis April compared two grouo elementary school children in Philadelphia. Ongroup attended schools that banned candy and sodalimited snacks, and taught lessons about nutritioThe other group attended schools that did not makthese changes. Over a two-year period, the numbo children who became overweight was 50 perceless at the schools limiting the unhealthul ood

Healthier OptionsVegetarian options are abundant. As the Vegetari

Resource Group reported in itsJournal(Volume XXVNo. 2) earlier this year, there are now at least 15 dierevegetarian hot dogs to choose rom, including their totwo (most healthul) choices: Tourky Chipotle Franand Lightlie Tou Pups. Most products are soy basand are lower in calories and at than traditional hdogs. And none have nitrites.

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Processed Meats Cause Cancer