A study that appeared in the medical journal Circulation, according to the NY Times, "is an indictment of processed meats like bacon, sausage and deli meats. Eating one serving of those foods a day was associated with a 42 percent higher risk of heart disease and 19 percent increased risk of diabetes. But there was no increase in risk associated with eating unprocessed red meat".
EVEN PERRY MASON MIGHT HAVE TROUBLE DEFENDING HOT DOGS, BACON AS REPORT TAKES SWIPE AT PROCESSED MEATS AND HEART DISEASE AND A VIDEO ABOUT CANCER RED AND PROCESSED MEAT LINK
Many people will continue to eat whatever meat they want but this latest study of the perils of hot dogs,bacon,sausage and pastrami comes in the wake of a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine about red meats,processed meats and cancer.
"Cutting back on steak, sausages and salami could help prolong your life, according to the most comprehensive study done on meat and mortality. Researchers tracked half a million Americans over a decade and found those who ate more red and processed meats appear to have a "modestly increased" risk of dying from all causes, and specifically from cancer or heart disease".
In contrast,those who ate more white meat have a decreased risk of dying, and in particular of dying from cancer. Diet is thought to influence the incidence of several cancers but it's hard to unravel which aspects of diet are important.A previous study in PLOS Medicine, for example, tried to shed light on cancer and what we eat. It indicated that a high red meat intake is associated with an increased risk of esophageal and liver cancer, and that one in ten colorectal and one in ten lung cancers could be avoided if people reduced their red and processed meat intake.
"The results of the study complement the recommendations by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund to reduce red and processed meat intake to decrease cancer incidence," said Rashmi Sinha, a specialist in nutritional epidemiology at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md. The lead author of the study added that she is personally not a vegetarian". "There are various mechanisms by which meat may be related to mortality. In relation to cancer, meat is a source of several multisite carcinogens, including heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,16-21 which are both formed during high-temperature cooking of meat, as well as N-nitroso compound".
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The evidence that the intake of red meat (beef, pork, and lamb) and of processed meat (for example, bacon, ham, and sausages) is linked to cancer risk has been suspected and reported previously.The study released by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) said that excess body fat as well as consumption of alcohol, red meat and processed meats like bacon, hot dogs and so on increase your risk of developing cancer.
The previous study which appeared in PLOS Medicine reported on a study of a link between processed and red meats and cancer. "Nearly half a million US men and women aged 50–71 years old joined the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. The participants none of whom had had cancer previously, completed a questionnaire about their dietary habits over the previous year and provided other personal information such as their age, weight, and smoking history". The study used these data and information from state cancer registries to look for associations between the intake of red and processed meat and the incidence of various cancers".
The prospective study( i.e a study in which people are identified and then followed forward in time) provided "strong evidence that people who eat a lot of red and processed meats have greater risk of developing colorectal and lung cancer than do people who eat small quantities".
"Although the researchers allowed for factors such as smoking history that might have affected cancer incidences, some of the effects they ascribe to meat intake might be caused by other lifestyle factors. Furthermore, because the study's definitions of red meat and processed meat overlapped—bacon and ham, for example, were included in both categories—exactly which type of meat is related to cancer remains unclear".
"Red meat refers to beef, pork and lamb, - foods like hamburgers, steak, pork chops and roast lamb. The term processed meat refers to meats preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by the addition of preservatives. Examples include ham, bacon, pastrami and salami, as well as hot dogs and sausages.
"The evidence from the Expert Report that red meat is a cause of colorectal cancer is convincing. This evidence is much stronger now than it was in the mid-1990s. Red meat contains substances that are linked to colon cancer. For example, heme iron, the compound that gives red meat its color, has been shown to damage the lining of the colon.Studies also show that people who eat a lot of red meat tend to eat less plant-based foods, so they benefit less from their cancer-protective properties".
There is also convincing evidence that choosing processed meat increases the chances of colorectal cancer. The expert panel advises limiting red meat and avoiding processed meat. Studies show we can eat up to 18 ounces a week of red meat without raising cancer risk. Research on processed meat shows cancer risk starts to increase with any portion.
"When meat is preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by the addition of preservatives, cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) can be formed. These substances can damage cells in the body, leading to the development of cancer".
"The Expert Panel found that salt and salt-preserved foods probably increase the chance of developing stomach cancer. Studies have shown that high salt intakes can damage the lining of the stomach. This is one way in which it might increase the risk of stomach cancer".
