Research says processed meat may be linked to colorectal cancer

By Caribbean Medical News Staff
The World Health Organization (WHO) has received a number of queries, expressions of concern and requests for clarification following the publication of a report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) relating to processed meat and colorectal cancer.
IARC was established 50 years ago through a resolution of the World Health Assembly as a functionally independent cancer agency under the auspices of WHO. Its program of work is approved and financed by its participating states.
IARC’s review confirms the recommendation in WHO’s 2002 “Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases” report, which advised people to moderate consumption of preserved meat to reduce the risk of cancer. The latest IARC review does not ask people to stop eating processed meats but indicates that reducing consumption of these products can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
WHO has a standing group of experts who regularly evaluate the links between diet and disease. Early next year they will meet to begin looking at the public health implications of the latest science and the place of processed meat and red meat within the context of an overall healthy diet.
What is processed meat?
Processed meat is meat which has been 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 some sausages.
Hamburgers and minced meats only count as processed meat if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives.
Research has shown that eating processed meat can increase your cancer risk. As there’s no real nutritional need to eat processed meats, if you eat meat, it’s best to choose fresh, unprocessed meat.