【每日电讯】NEW CANCER ALERT ON RED MEAT

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NEW CANCER ALERT ON RED MEAT
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/107563/New-cancer-alert-on-red-meat
Monday June 15,2009   By Jo Wiley

HEALTH RISK: Not enough British people realise the dangers posed by red meat






MILLIONS of Britons are unaware of the cancer risk from eating red meat, new research has found.


Less than a third of people know that consuming large amounts of red and processed meats is proven to result in a greater risk of the disease.


Eating too much bacon,  sausage and ham dramatically increases the chance of developing cancer, said Marilyn Gentry, chief executive of the World Cancer Research Fund.


“It is a concern if over two-thirds of people are not aware of the link because the evidence is very strong. This is why advice from experts is that the best amount of processed meat to eat is none at all,” she said.


“But if people do not know about the link between bowel cancer and processed meat then they are not in a position to make informed choices. This is why there is still a lot of work to be done to spread the message about how people can reduce their cancer risk.”


Scientists estimate 10 per cent of bowel cancer cases in the UK could be prevented if everyone reduced their intake of processed meat by the equivalent of three rashers of bacon a week.


Ms Gentry said: “If  someone is eating bacon every day and they do not want to give it up completely, they can still make a positive change by phasing it out gradually, eventually just having it as an occasional luxury.”


Another major report warned that one in 10 cases of lung and bowel cancer could be prevented if people cut down on beef, lamb, pork, sausages, ham and bacon.

It also found that red meat increases the risk of cancers of the liver and oesophagus.

The new report – a survey of 2,249 people carried out by YouGov for the World Cancer Research Fund – forms part of a growing body of evidence that too much meat in the diet can kill.

In 2007, a report from the WCRF warned that red meat was a major contributor to the disease and its scientists urged people to stop eating processed bacon, ham and sausages and consume no more than the equivalent of three 6oz steaks a week.

It is not clear what it is about red meat that may increase the risk of death. It could be the compounds produced during high-temperature cooking, or the preservatives in meat.

Saturated fat in meats can raise cholesterol and blood pressure and the more meat people eat, the less they may consume other foods such as grains, fruits or vegetables.

Cooked red meat does contain a number of substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which can damage DNA and be a trigger for cancers.

Experts believe that, after not smoking, sticking to a healthy weight is the most important  factor in helping to avoid contracting the disease.

Scientists estimate that around a third of cancers could be prevented by eating healthily, taking regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight.

In terms of overall risk, the chances of developing bowel cancer are one in 18 for men and one in 20 for women in Britain.

The British Meat Processors’ Association last night declined to comment on the latest study.