Processed Meats (and Probably Red Meats) Can Cause Cancer, Says Controversial WHO Report

Anton Bilchik, MD, chief of medicine and gastrointestinal research at California’s John Wayne Cancer Institute, tells Yahoo Health that the new declaration is extreme. “To suggest that all red and processed meat is going to cause cancer and should be put in the same category as asbestos and smoking is irresponsible,” Bilchik says.

Unlike cigarettes or asbestos, Bilchik says there’s nutritional value to eating red meat — in moderation. Bilchik acknowledges colon cancer’s link to processed- and red-meat consumption but also says the cause of the disease is complex. “Diet may play a role, and there may be a genetic component,” he says. “As of now, we just don’t know which group of people should eat less red meat than others.”

Other organizations have encouraged people to eat less meat for better health but have stopped short of declaring that meat consumption causes cancer.

The American Cancer Society recommends limited red meats and processed meats. “Because of a wealth of studies linking colon cancer to diets high in red meats (beef, lamb, or liver) and processed meats (hot dogs, bologna, etc.), the Society encourages people to eat more vegetables and fish and less red and processed meats,” the ACS says on its website.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans also recommends limiting consumption of processed meats due to “moderate evidence” that they cause an increased risk of colorectal cancer but also doesn’t declare that they cause cancer.

Via Yahoo News