It’s not new news that processed and red meat are linked to bowel cancer. But in 2020, Cancer Research UK scientists took a closer look at just how much meat might be enough to increase bowel cancer risk.
The study, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, looked at whether people who eat an average of 79 grams of processed and red meat a day (approximately three slices of sandwich ham) are still at increased risk of bowel cancer.
This is similar to the average amount people in the UK eat each day and falls in a somewhat grey area within government guidelines, which state that anyone who eats more than 90 grams a day should cut this to no more than 70 grams a day.
The main takeaway from the study was that even moderate meat-eating increases bowel cancer risk. So, what does this mean for a nation famed for its fry ups?
‘Processed’ meat is meat that’s not sold fresh, but instead has been cured, salted, smoked, or otherwise preserved in some way. This includes things like bacon, sandwich ham, corned beef, and some sausages, such as hot dogs, salami and pepperoni. Processed meat does not include mince, homemade burgers, or sausages which you find at your local butchers or supermarket.
‘Red’ meat, as you might expect, is any meat that’s a dark red colour before it’s cooked. This includes meats like beef, lamb, pork and goat.
Processed and red meats are distinct from ‘white’ meats, like chicken or turkey, and fish. These do not appear to increase the risk of cancer.
How do we know processed and red meat causes cancer?
The evidence linking processed and red meat to cancer has been stacking up for over a decade. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a group of experts that review and report on research evidence, classified processed meat as a ‘definite’ cause of cancer, or Group 1 carcinogen. That puts it in the same group as smoking and alcohol. Red meat is a ‘probable’ cause of cancer, or a Group 2a carcinogen, the same group as night shift work