Hot dogs, bacon, and red meat are giving people cancer
Eating processed meats can give you cancer, a World Health Organization group announced on Monday.
In surprisingly direct phrasing, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) eschewed bureaucratic language like "may cause" to express any doubt about its research, instead labeling processed meats as "carcinogenic to humans." It's the highest ranking a substance can receive, putting the meat on par with alcohol, asbestos, arsenic, and cigarettes.
"Processed meat refers to meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation. Most processed meats contain pork or beef, but might also contain other red meats, poultry, offal (eg, liver), or meat byproducts such as blood," the report defined. In one example, the IARC found that a 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Red meat — or "unprocessed mammalian muscle meat" such as beef, pork, lamb, veal, or goat meat — is also believed to cause cancer, according to the report, which associated consumption with pancreatic and prostate cancer. Research was carried out by an international panel who reviewed animal experiments, human diets, and cell mechanisms to reach their conclusions.
"These findings further support current public health recommendations to limit intake of meat," IARC director Dr. Christopher Wild said in a statement.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
'Make legal immigration a more plausible option'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
LA-to-Las Vegas high-speed rail line breaks ground
Speed Read The railway will be ready as soon as 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel's military intelligence chief resigns
Speed Read Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva is the first leader to quit for failing to prevent the Hamas attack in October
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Doctors are taking on dental duties in low-income areas
Under the radar Physicians are biting into the dentistry industry
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
The never-grow-older generations are here
In the spotlight Entering the age of not-aging
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Texas dairy worker gets bird flu from infected cow
Speed Read The virus has been spreading among cattle in Texas, Kansas, Michigan and New Mexico
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Dengue hits the Americas hard and early
Speed Read Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic as dengue cases surge
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US bans final type of asbestos
Speed Read Exposure to asbestos causes about 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The hollow classroom
Opinion Remote school let kids down. It will take much more than extra tutoring for kids to recover.
By Mark Gimein Published
-
How love impacts your health
The Explainer Turns out you actually can die of a broken heart
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Addicted to screens? 4 tips for a digital detox that sticks.
the explainer Taking a break from your phone can be good for you
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published