Cancer expert warns about eating processed meat

Apr 2 2008

A leading cancer expert has issued a warning about eating processed meats such as sausages.

Professor Martin Wiseman, a medical and scientific adviser for the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), says there is 'convincing' evidence linking the consumption of processed meats to bowel cancer but many people are unaware of it.

Professor Wiseman says a report published last year by WCRF found that eating 50g a day of processed meats such as bacon, sausages and ham, increased the risk of bowel cancer by around 20 per cent.

However he says most people are unaware of the link and of the WCRF's advice that people concerned about their bowel cancer risk should aim to eat as little processed meat as possible.

Professor Wiseman says by cutting processed meats out of their diet as far as possible, people can make a positive difference.

Although red meat, including pork and lamb, has also been linked to bowel cancer, experts recommend eating these in moderation (less than 500g a day) as they contain important nutrients.

They say research has found that bowel cancer is more common among people who eat an abundance of red and processed meat.

Processed meat is meat which is preserved by smoking, curing, salting or the addition of preservatives and includes ham, bacon, pastrami, salami, hot dogs and processed sausages.