New Study: Processed Meats

CoachReddy

Because we need another mega-thread today.

this is my new favorite study, just published a couple days ago: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/11/63

"One of the largest studies to address this question, published online March 7 in BMC Medicine, found a moderate positive association between processed meat consumption and mortality. This was particularly true for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), but was also true for cancer."

"The risk for cancer death was 43% higher and the risk for cardiovascular death was 70% higher in people eating more than 160 g/day"

Now obviously, not many of us on these boards eat 160g of processed meat, but if that raises the risk by 43% and 70% for cardiovascular death and cancer, respectively, then it's possible that lower amounts can still raise your risk.

Science.

I actually think you're a smart guy behind all the gifs. Is there an issue with the study in your mind?

vashnic

Study also said (smokers beware, nonsmokers don't worry?):

There was also a statistically significant interaction between smoking and processed meat consumption (P-interaction 0.01), with mortality being significantly increased among former (HR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.18) and current smokers (HR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.83), but there was *no association* among never smokers (HR = 1.24, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.72).

Though I think if you are/have been smoking, eating processed meat is not so high on your 'likely to kill you' list.

Quite large prospective cohort study, very nice, but as with all dietary studies using questionnaires/recall as basis of data, bit dodgy in terms of rigor. 'In a series of validation studies, correlation coefficients for meat intake between 12 24-hour recalls and food questionnaires ranged between 0.4 and 0.7' <--not so great correlations, but that works for studies saying the processed meat has no effect as well.

babydiego87

how is this news?

/snobby vegetarian post

I eat meat.

im the snobby vegetarian. i thought your OP was common knowledge...?

CoachReddy

Did you read the whole study?? Were a set number of people eating 160gms a day? I noticed in your quote that the study showed an "association". Obviously it would state that there is correlation not causation in this matter. What does "the largest" mean?!? Is it like the commercials where you can honest say "the best" without actually comparing? How large was the study?

No I have too many questions to agree with the OP

then please read the study. you just might get your questions answered.

CoachReddy

how is this news?

/snobby vegetarian post

I eat meat.

im the snobby vegetarian. i thought your OP was common knowledge...?

not on this board unfortunately...

Capt_Apollo

Ok, I'll tell my Italian grandparents who are over 90 and cancer free to stop eating so much sausage, pepperoni and salami.

Genetics.

seriously. my 86 year old grandfather that lives in spain, that eats cured ham, chorizo, and all that good stuff, who looks younger then his oldest son, my dad.... you get the idea.

babydiego87

how is this news?

/snobby vegetarian post

I eat meat.

im the snobby vegetarian. i thought your OP was common knowledge...?

not on this board unfortunately...

then it's rather unfortunate that people do not know what they put into their own bodies.

NikoM5

Science.

...says Capt. Cleanse.

Anyhow, to the folks with processed meat obsessed grandparents.. are you really trying to use your one or two examples of someone you know as rebuttal against a proper scientific study? My great grandmother smoked her whole life and lived to 105. Ergo, smoking must be safe. Makes good sense, right?

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

Might need to read later. Is there any indication as to what the study considers a "processed meat?" There are several types, and nitrate content may play a role. Some dried meats require minimal processing (proscuitto, e.g.), while some other meats require much more processing, such as sausages/frankfurters and the like.

I eat a decent amount of bacon, maybe a strip or two a day. Not that big most types of processed meats, and don't eat American-style deli meats except in desperation, but it's probably worth a look-see.

bbbgamer

so is there an aount thats just right?

Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door

thanks for confirming I made the right decision to start tomorrow cutting the processed foods and eat fruits,veggies and organic

taso42

how is this news?

/snobby vegetarian post

I eat meat.

im the snobby vegetarian. i thought your OP was common knowledge...?

not on this board unfortunately...

then it's rather unfortunate that people do not know what they put into their own bodies.

It is a darn shame, innit? You'd think that most of these these people who work so hard to eat a superior diet wouldn't be perpetually struggling to lose weight.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

Ok, I'll tell my Italian grandparents who are over 90 and cancer free to stop eating so much sausage, pepperoni and salami.

Genetics.

seriously. my 86 year old grandfather that lives in spain, that eats cured ham, chorizo, and all that good stuff, who looks younger then his oldest son, my dad.... you get the idea.

This is why I pose my question about whether the link is nitrates and other additives. Most of the cured meats from Spain and Italy have far fewer additives than the deli meats we buy at the local grocery chains. If it is additives and not the meat itself, and if people can make informed decisions about purchasing certain types of cured meats over other more processed meats without the fear-mongering, then that should be clarified.

CoachReddy

Ok, I'll tell my Italian grandparents who are over 90 and cancer free to stop eating so much sausage, pepperoni and salami.

Genetics.

seriously. my 86 year old grandfather that lives in spain, that eats cured ham, chorizo, and all that good stuff, who looks younger then his oldest son, my dad.... you get the idea.

his cured ham and chorizo probably bears no resemblence to its american grocery store counterpart.

DavPul

I actually think you're a smart guy behind all the gifs. Is there an issue with the study in your mind?

I don't do much "science" but this....

Conclusions
The results of our analyses suggest that men and women with a high consumption of processed meat are at increased risk of early death, in particular due to cardiovascular diseases but also to cancer. In this population, reduction of processed meat consumption to less than 20 g/day would prevent more than 3% of all deaths. As processed meat consumption is a modifiable risk factor, health promotion activities should include specific advice on lowering processed meat consumption.
[/b]

.....seems to indicate that you're using the most inflammatory numbers you can find. I'm still searching for 73% higher and 43% higher. But I guess "possible link to a 3% increase in cancer" doesn't stop traffic, huh? I'm not saying 3% incident rate is nothing, but when you add in the variables of genetics, environment, and exercise, I'm more than willing to roll the dice to keep eating Double Quarter Pounders with Cheese.

links_slayer

you forgot the " " around study.

toaster6

Mortality rate of everyone is 100% sooner or later, mate.

CoachReddy

I actually think you're a smart guy behind all the gifs. Is there an issue with the study in your mind?

I don't do much "science" but this....

Conclusions
The results of our analyses suggest that men and women with a high consumption of processed meat are at increased risk of early death, in particular due to cardiovascular diseases but also to cancer. In this population, reduction of processed meat consumption to less than 20 g/day would prevent more than 3% of all deaths. As processed meat consumption is a modifiable risk factor, health promotion activities should include specific advice on lowering processed meat consumption.
[/b]

.....seems to indicate that you're using the most inflammatory numbers you can find. I'm still searching for 73% higher and 43% higher. But I guess "possible link to a 3% increase in cancer" doesn't stop traffic, huh? I'm not saying 3% incident rate is nothing, but when you add in the variables of genetics, environment, and exercise, I'm more than willing to roll the dice to keep eating Double Quarter Pounders with Cheese.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/780553?nlid=29163_1341

tross0924

Bumping for later reading

CoachReddy

you forgot the " " around study.

true, no reputable organizations involved here

1 Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Zurich, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland

2 Division of Cancer Epidemiology, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, 69221 Heidelberg, Germany

3 Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark

4 National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 Bilthoven, The Netherlands

5 Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Centre, 3508 Utrecht, The Netherlands

6 Danish Cancer Society Research Center, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark

7 Inserm, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, U1018, Institut Gustave Roussy, 94805 Villejuif, France

8 Paris South University, UMRS 1018, 94805 Villejuif, France

9 Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy

10 Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, Cancer Research and Prevention Institute (ISPO), 50139 Florence, Italy

11 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University, 80131 Naples, Italy

12 Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, "Civile - M.P.Arezzo" Hospital, 97100 Ragusa, Italy

13 HuGeF - Human Genetics Foundation - Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy

14 Department of Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany

15 Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK

16 Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK

17 Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK

18 WHO Collaborating Center for Food and Nutrition Policies, Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece

19 Hellenic Health Foundation, 11527 Athens, Greece

20 Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston MA 02115, USA

21 Bureau of Epidemiologic Research, Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece

22 Julius Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508 Utrecht, The Netherlands

23 School of Public Health, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK

24 Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway

25 Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0317 Oslo, Norway

26 Unit of Nutrition, Environment and Cancer, Cancer Epidemiology Research Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), 08907 Barcelona, Spain

27 Andalusian School of Public Health, 18080 Granada, Spain

28 Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública-CIBERESP), Spain

29 Department of Epidemiology, Murcia Regional Health Council, 30008 Murcia, Spain

30 Public Health Directorate Asturias, 33006 Oviedo, Spain

31 Navarre Public Health Institute, 31003 Pamplona, Spain

32 Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, BIODonostia Research Institute, Department of Health of the Regional Government of the Basque Country, San Sebastian, Spain

33 Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 20502 Malmö, Sweden

34 Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Nutrition Research, 90185 Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

35 Department of Odontology, Cariology, Umeå University, 90185 Umeå, Sweden

36 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 69008 Lyon, France

37 Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Centre Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany