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 Press releases & statements |
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| Cancer expert’s warning on processed meat |
March 31, 2008
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More needs to be done to get across the message that people who eat processed meat regularly are increasing their risk of bowel cancer, according to a leading cancer expert.
Ahead of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, Professor Martin Wiseman, Medical and Scientific Adviser for World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), has warned people that if they eat 50g of processed meat a day then their bowel cancer risk is increased by 20 per cent.
Although the scientific evidence is convincing, research shows only 30 per cent of Britons are aware that eating processed meat increases cancer risk.
Professor Wiseman said: “We are more sure now than ever before that eating processed meat increases your risk of bowel cancer and this is why WCRF recommends that people avoid eating it. The evidence is that whether you are talking about bacon, ham or pastrami, the safest amount to eat is none at all.
“When you consider that eating 50g of processed meat a day can increase your risk of bowel cancer by about a fifth, it is clear that you can make a positive difference by cutting out as much as possible.
“We do recommend that people avoid it completely, but it is not a case of all or nothing. Cutting down the amount of processed meat you eat can also reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer.
“But we need to do more to get this message across because if two thirds of people don’t know about the link between processed meat and bowel cancer, then they are not in a position to be able to make informed decisions about whether to eat it or not.”
The evidence is also convincing that red meat such as beef, pork and lamb is a cause of bowel cancer. However, red meat is also a valuable source of nutrients and WCRF recommends that people should aim to eat less than 500g (cooked weight) of red meat a week.
To mark Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, WCRF has published a leaflet about how lifestyle affects bowel cancer risk. You can download it from the charity’s website at www.wcrf-uk.org/publications or order it while stocks last by calling 020 7343 4205.
ENDS
For more information contact Richard Evans on 020 7343 4253.
Notes to editors
Bowel cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the UK, with almost 100 new cases being diagnosed every day.
The term “processed meat” refers to meats preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by the addition of preservatives. This includes ham, bacon, pastrami and salami, as well as hot dogs and some sausages. Hamburgers and minced meats only count if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives.
After reviewing 58 studies, an expert panel found convincing evidence that processed meat is a cause of bowel cancer, and the risk is higher than the risk from fresh red meat. The panel could find no amount of processed meat that can be confidently shown not to increase cancer risk.
Processed meat may increase bowel cancer in a number of ways. Processing can produce several cancer-causing substances including N-nitroso compounds, which are the product of nitrates, a common preservative in processed meat. Processed meat such as bacon and ham may produce higher levels of N-nitroso compounds than fresh red meat.
Processed meat made from red meat also contains haem, which may also pose a risk.
Most of the studies looked at the effect of red processed meat, so there is not enough evidence to make confident judgements on the effect of processed meat made from poultry. The best advice is that it should be avoided until we know more.
While the evidence that processed meat is a cause of bowel cancer is convincing, there is also limited evidence suggesting that it may increase risk of cancers of the oesophagus, lung, stomach and prostate.
About WCRF
World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) raises awareness that cancer is largely preventable and helps people make choices to reduce their chances of developing the disease.
This includes research into how cancer risk is related to diet, physical activity, and weight management, and education programmes that highlight the fact that about a third of cancers could be prevented through changes to lifestyle. For more information on the charity’s work, visit www.wcrf-uk.org
The WCRF report, called Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective, was launched in November 2007 and is the most comprehensive report ever published on the link between cancer and lifestyle. For more information, visit www.dietandcancerreport.org. |
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WCRF UK, 19 Harley Street, London W1G 9QJ - Tel: 020 7343 4200 - Fax: 020 7343 4201 - wcrf@wcrf.org
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