Many Americans eat processed meats on a daily basis despite
the strong suspicions that they may be loaded with preservatives. A new research
published in the British Journal of Cancer shows a link between
processed meats, like bacon, sausage, hot dogs and lunchmeat, etc., and
pancreatic cancer.
The study of nearly 7,000 pancreatic cancer cases found that
for every 50-gram serving of processed meat consumed, or about one link of
sausage, your chance for pancreatic cancer increases 19 percent. Processed meats category may include sausages,
pepperoni, bacon, ham, smoked turkey, hot dogs, and some other tasty staff, you
eat for breakfast and throughout the day.
Previous studies already showed a substantial link between
processed meats and colon cancer risk. Last year, Harvard researchers found that people who eat a 3.5-ounce serving
of processed meat a day -- about two slices of bacon, or a hot dog -- have a 51
percent increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. And people who eat one 100-gram serving of
red, unprocessed meat -- the size of a deck of cards -- a day have a 19 percent
increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to the study, which was published
in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Last August, a
study of 300,000 men and women, published in the journal Cancer, found people
who ate large amounts of processed meats had a 30 percent increased risk for
bladder cancer.
The review by
Karolinska Institute researchers included an analysis of data from 11 different
studies, which overall included 6,643 pancreatic cancer cases. The
Swedish researchers explained that the problem with processed meats is the
added nitrites and nitrate chemicals that preserve the meats and add color and
flavor. "Look for products that don't have nitrites because the nitrites
are the ones that they think are causing the cancer," Dr. Richard Besser,
ABC News chief health and medical editor, advised.
The numbers might
sound scary, but experts say this added risk is relatively small when you
factor in overall pancreatic cancer rates in the general population. According
to the National Cancer Institute, 13.6 per 100,000 U.S. men develop pancreatic
cancer, compared with 10.7 pancreatic cases per 100,000 women. The researchers
also said smoking is a bigger risk factor, which increases pancreatic cancer
risk by 74 percent.
The statement that consuming
processed meats increases the risk of pancreatic cancer has been
confirmed by another new research conducted at the University of Hawaii that
followed nearly 200,000 men and women for seven years. According to lead study
author Ute Nothlings, people who consumed the most processed meats (hot dogs
and sausage) showed a 67% increased risk of pancreatic cancer
over those who consumed little or no meat products.
The same as in
Swedish research, the negative impact of the processed meats to the consumers’
health can be attributed to the nitrites. Nearly all processed meats are made with sodium nitrite: breakfast
sausage, hot dogs, jerkies, bacon, lunchmeat, and even meats in canned soup
products. Yet this ingredient is a precursor to highly carcinogenic nitrosamines — potent cancer-causing
chemicals that accelerate the formation and growth of cancer cells
throughout the body. When consumers eat sodium nitrite in popular meat
products, nitrosamines are formed in
the body where they promote the growth of various cancers, including
colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer, says nutritionist Mike Adams.
“Sodium nitrite is a
dangerous, cancer-causing ingredient that has no place in the human food supply,”
he explains. The USDA actually tried to ban sodium nitrite in the 1970′s, but was
preempted by the meat processing industry, which relies on the ingredient
as a color fixer to make foods look more visually appealing. “The meat industry uses sodium nitrite to sell
more meat products at the expense of public health,” says Adams. “And
this new research clearly demonstrates the link between the consumption of
processed meats and cancer.”
There are skeptics however who said that these researches data
is kind of inconclusive. James H.
Hodges, president of the American Meat Institute, noted that these studies only
took into account epidemiological data, and didn't look at other lifestyle
factors that could contribute to cancer. He said in a written statement that
eating red and processed meats is part of a healthy, balanced diet. "More
often than not, epidemiological studies, over time, provide more contradictions
than conclusions," he said.
Alex Ford, chief
executive of Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: "Pancreatic Cancer UK is keen to
see more research like this that helps improve our understanding about which
aspects of diet and lifestyle may have a bearing on the risk of developing
pancreatic cancer.
"These
findings, if confirmed by further studies, could help inform people on which
lifestyle factors could play a role in limiting their chances of developing the
disease."
Sources and Additional
Information:
