Oct 26 , 2015

News

Red and processed meat linked to cancer, WHO says
Reuters

Eating processed meat such as ham and sausage can lead to bowel cancer in humans and red meat is a likely cause of the disease, World Health Organisation (WHO) experts said. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the WHO, put processed meat such as hot dogs and ham in its group 1 list, which already includes tobacco, asbestos and diesel fumes, for which there is “sufficient evidence” of cancer links. The experts stated that each 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. “For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal (bowel) cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” Dr Kurt Straif of the IARC said in a statement. Red meat, under which the IARC includes beef, lamb and pork, was classified as a “probable” carcinogen in its group 2A list that also contains glyphosate, the active ingredient in many weed killers, Reuters reports. The lower classification for red meat reflected “limited evidence” that it causes cancer. While processed meat is linked to colorectal cancer, red meat is linked colorectal cancer as well as pancreatic and prostate cancer. These findings are the conclusion of a working group of 22 experts from 10 countries who considered more than 800 studies. ”(These findings) further support current public health recommendations to limit intake of meat,” says Dr Christopher Wild, Director of IARC in a statement. “At the same time, red meat has nutritional value. Therefore, these results are important in enabling governments and international regulatory agencies to conduct risk assessments, in order to balance the risks and benefits of eating red meat and processed meat and to provide the best possible dietary recommendations.”


Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk



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