The bacon industry has been living high on the hog, but a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) may just dampen enthusiasm for the salty slices.
WHO researchers concluded, based on a large meta-analysis of previously published research, that processed meats such as bacon cause cancer.
The discovery comes after a lengthy assessment by a group of 22 scientists from ten different countries, who got together at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, in order “to evaluate the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat.” Sadly, their findings were not good for meat-eaters.
The study found that each 50-gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.
But bacon won’t face the heat alone. Hot dogs, ham, sausages, corned beef, beef jerky, and canned meat are all considered processed meats.
The release quoted Kurt Straif, head of the International Agency for Research on Cancer Monographs Programs: “For an individual the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but the risk increases with the amount of meat consumed.”
The scientists concluded that the regular consumption of processed meats can lead to colorectal cancer, according to their findings which were published in an article in The Lancet. This refers to cancers of the colon and/or rectum.
Diets high in processed meats lead to nearly 35,000 cancer deaths per year, according to estimates by the Global Burden of Disease project, cited by WHO.
While the report is definitely daunting, it is important to maintain perspective. “Scientific evidence shows cancer is a complex disease not caused by single foods and that a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle choices are essential to good health,” said Barry Carpenter, president of the North American Meat Institute, in a statement on the findings.
