Sunday, October 28, 2007
RED MEAT/VIANDE ROUGE = CANCER
Red meat and alcohol 'raise the risk of cancer'
Denis Campbell, health correspondent
Sunday October 28, 2007
The Observer
Eating red meat and drinking alcohol in even small quantities increases the risk of developing cancer, a group of world renowned scientists will warn this week.
People should minimise their consumption of both in order to safeguard their health, the biggest inquiry ever undertaken into lifestyle and cancer will recommend.
In addition, the millions of people who are now obese are running as great a risk of getting cancer as smokers do, a major global report by the World Cancer Research Fund will also warn.
Article continues
The findings from a panel of 21 experts in diet, nutrition and public health will reopen the controversy about the role that red meat such as beef, pork and lamb and alcoholic drinks play in causing cancer, and how much it is safe to consume. The livestock and drink industries are likely to object fiercely to the report. But the experts, who have spent five years producing the document, insist their recommendations are based on the most up-to-date, accurate and credible scientific and medical research evidence available worldwide.
'The bad guys in terms of increasing your chances of getting cancer are alcohol, meat consumption and being seriously overweight,' said one senior figure behind the report. 'There's plenty of evidence showing that clearly meat is linked to cancer. Huge numbers of studies have shown that. Alcohol also increases your risk of cancer. Any alcohol above zero increases your risk of developing breast cancer and other cancers.'
The report will set out 10 detailed recommendations which the scientists believe are a definitive blueprint for how those seeking to avoid cancer should live. The 10 will cover: body fatness; physical activity; foods and drinks that promote weight gain; plant foods, notably fruit and vegetables; animal foods, particularly meat; alcoholic drinks; the preservation, processing and preparation of food; dietary supplements; lactation and breastfeeding; and cancer survivors.
One of the panel, Professor David Shuker, of the Open University, said: 'We know that red meat increases your risk of bowel cancer. We might say that it's just like cigarette smoking. So if you are concerned about bowel cancer you would come to the conclusion, supported by the evidence, that one should reduce one's consumption of red meat.'
Research showed that eating as little as 100g of red meat a day increases the risk of developing cancer, Shuker said. But the WCRF is likely to reaffirm this week that it believes people should consume as little as 80g per day for health reasons. The Food Standards Agency does not specify a 'safe' figure for meat-eating. But a spokeswoman said its view was that people should 'eat meat in moderation and choose leaner cuts'.
The report is also likely to say that men should have no more than two drinks per day, and women just one, if they want to reduce their cancer risk, in line with the government's advice on safe drinking limits.
Professor Sir Michael Marmot, chair of the expert panel, told The Observer last night that diet was a factor in one third of all cancer cases: 'People are suffering and dying because they get cancer from being obese.'
Denis Campbell, health correspondent
Sunday October 28, 2007
The Observer
Eating red meat and drinking alcohol in even small quantities increases the risk of developing cancer, a group of world renowned scientists will warn this week.
People should minimise their consumption of both in order to safeguard their health, the biggest inquiry ever undertaken into lifestyle and cancer will recommend.
In addition, the millions of people who are now obese are running as great a risk of getting cancer as smokers do, a major global report by the World Cancer Research Fund will also warn.
Article continues
The findings from a panel of 21 experts in diet, nutrition and public health will reopen the controversy about the role that red meat such as beef, pork and lamb and alcoholic drinks play in causing cancer, and how much it is safe to consume. The livestock and drink industries are likely to object fiercely to the report. But the experts, who have spent five years producing the document, insist their recommendations are based on the most up-to-date, accurate and credible scientific and medical research evidence available worldwide.
'The bad guys in terms of increasing your chances of getting cancer are alcohol, meat consumption and being seriously overweight,' said one senior figure behind the report. 'There's plenty of evidence showing that clearly meat is linked to cancer. Huge numbers of studies have shown that. Alcohol also increases your risk of cancer. Any alcohol above zero increases your risk of developing breast cancer and other cancers.'
The report will set out 10 detailed recommendations which the scientists believe are a definitive blueprint for how those seeking to avoid cancer should live. The 10 will cover: body fatness; physical activity; foods and drinks that promote weight gain; plant foods, notably fruit and vegetables; animal foods, particularly meat; alcoholic drinks; the preservation, processing and preparation of food; dietary supplements; lactation and breastfeeding; and cancer survivors.
One of the panel, Professor David Shuker, of the Open University, said: 'We know that red meat increases your risk of bowel cancer. We might say that it's just like cigarette smoking. So if you are concerned about bowel cancer you would come to the conclusion, supported by the evidence, that one should reduce one's consumption of red meat.'
Research showed that eating as little as 100g of red meat a day increases the risk of developing cancer, Shuker said. But the WCRF is likely to reaffirm this week that it believes people should consume as little as 80g per day for health reasons. The Food Standards Agency does not specify a 'safe' figure for meat-eating. But a spokeswoman said its view was that people should 'eat meat in moderation and choose leaner cuts'.
The report is also likely to say that men should have no more than two drinks per day, and women just one, if they want to reduce their cancer risk, in line with the government's advice on safe drinking limits.
Professor Sir Michael Marmot, chair of the expert panel, told The Observer last night that diet was a factor in one third of all cancer cases: 'People are suffering and dying because they get cancer from being obese.'
# posted by jaredcow @ 4:05 AM 
