News report = red meat and processed meats cause cancer

24

Replies

  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    _John_ wrote: »
    snikkins wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    snikkins wrote: »
    I think the thing I find the most fascinating about these reports of late is the risks that people are willing to take. For example, I've seen a few posts from people (in general, not talking solely about MFP) who are staunch low carb advocates because sugar will kill you just completely dismiss this, whereas they preach the WHO sugar recommendations as gospel.

    People tend to pick and choose the science that they like. It seems silly, but there is a case to be made against so many things that it's not hard to understand someone saying, "I don't care, I'm eating it anyway."

    Especially since things change, I get how it makes sense. My grandpa gave up eggs even though he loved them. Used to have two a day, every day, and quit when they told him what a healthy diet looked like (at that time.) By the time they got around to saying, "Okay, wait, a few eggs is okay," he had died.

    Plus, when you're young, it's impossible to know what is coming. Should you eat this way to prevent this or that way to prevent that? It's not like anyone can see what is going to happen to them when they're sixty years old.

    Some people don't even care and eat whatever they want, knowing it will make them die sooner. They're going on the principal that they'd rather do things they enjoy and die sooner than be cautious and live a little longer but live less happily. Old people, especially. And that's cool.

    Different strokes.

    I don't care what people do; I just personally find the justifications of it interesting. All groups do it, but my example here was relevant to this particular finding. I'm sure the "preachy" vegans will be triumphantly shouting this while ignoring something else.

    Also, I don't think Americans realize that the rest of the world doesn't necessarily think that government/political = garbage. It's something else I find interesting about the responses to these kinds of things.

    Clearly, everyone is going to continue doing whatever they want to in spite of whatever evidence to the contrary. I just find it all fun.

    while the WHO is political, they can't just run away and be silly with the science they "choose" to use and what they don't. So even if personal biases fit into things, decisions of government agencies like the EPA still have to have some backup from science.

    SOOO many aspects of climate change are in this boat. One can pick and choose data to fit almost any narrative they want if they research heard enough.

    From what I've observed, they absolutely can be. That's how political organizations end up backing policies that don't reflect what would make sense based on science. They reflect the prevailing social attitudes which may run completely counter to the science. (FWIW - I'm not talking specifically climate change, or specifically the WHO, though it applies to that, too)
  • alyssarenea1996
    alyssarenea1996 Posts: 90 Member
    Reasons I raise my own cattle and chickens. I'm terrified of pigs though - so guess I'll keep eating store bought bacon!
  • snikkins
    snikkins Posts: 1,282 Member
    edited October 2015
    Yup. That's definitely, I think, more of the problem. Science reporting is notoriously bad.

    (Also, I apologize for the derail. I'll stop now. I can leave it at I find it all really interesting. :))

    ETA: I can't fix the quotes. Sorry, but in response to @juggernaut1974.


  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I think that lifestyle should be included in that as well.

    I heard it on the radio on my way home to eat lunch...I just shook my head.

  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    I'm going down eating bacon.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member

    For me it's not the knee-jerk negative reaction to 'government' but 'media headlines'. As pointed out above, what the media trumpets as 'meat causes cancer' really is 'there's a relatively miniscule increase in the incidence of cancer correlated with eating certain amounts of processed meat each day'.

    phd051809s.gif
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    My family doesn't get cancer. We get diabetes and Alzheimer's disease instead. I know that sounds flippant (is somewhat said in jest) and, obviously, somebody in my family may get cancer some day, but this won't change how I eat. If I had a strong family history of cancer I might have a different opinion.

    Given those two are killing your family members, isn't the truest thing to say is that your cancer risk a complete unknown, not unlikely? It could be that at 90 your family would look like a 2 year old Sprague-Dawley rat, just no one has made it to 90?

    Lol. You are correct. I really say the diabetes/Alzheimer's thing as a tongue-in-cheek comment. My known family history is split between people who either died young (early-mid 60s, many diabetics) or lived to be in their upper 80s/mid-90s (dementia/Alzheimer's patients in this group.) My family is kind of the opposite of tight-knit so known is the operative word there. The unknown is greater than the known for sure :smile:
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    _John_ wrote: »

    For me it's not the knee-jerk negative reaction to 'government' but 'media headlines'. As pointed out above, what the media trumpets as 'meat causes cancer' really is 'there's a relatively miniscule increase in the incidence of cancer correlated with eating certain amounts of processed meat each day'.

    phd051809s.gif

    LMAO! This is so true it is scary.
  • jmule24
    jmule24 Posts: 1,382 Member
    kkenseth wrote: »
    I'm going down eating bacon.

    :love: :love: :love: @kkenseth
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    My family doesn't get cancer. We get diabetes and Alzheimer's disease instead. I know that sounds flippant (is somewhat said in jest) and, obviously, somebody in my family may get cancer some day, but this won't change how I eat. If I had a strong family history of cancer I might have a different opinion.

    Given those two are killing your family members, isn't the truest thing to say is that your cancer risk a complete unknown, not unlikely? It could be that at 90 your family would look like a 2 year old Sprague-Dawley rat, just no one has made it to 90?

    Lol. You are correct. I really say the diabetes/Alzheimer's thing as a tongue-in-cheek comment. My known family history is split between people who either died young (early-mid 60s, many diabetics) or lived to be in their upper 80s/mid-90s (dementia/Alzheimer's patients in this group.) My family is kind of the opposite of tight-knit so known is the operative word there. The unknown is greater than the known for sure :smile:

    Understandable. My mother was adopted, and though she's connected with her birth mother, the only thing I know about her birth father is don't drink and drive. Wasn't exactly useful health advice for someone who's already naturally abstemious despite all the genetics not to be.
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    jmule24 wrote: »
    kkenseth wrote: »
    I'm going down eating bacon.

    :love: :love: :love: @kkenseth

    Might as well enjoy it, right?
  • flaminica
    flaminica Posts: 304 Member
    Arnold Rimmer: Look... In three million years, you'll be dead.
    Past Rimmer: [mock surprise]: Oh, will I really?
    Rimmer: Yes, unless you do something about it now.
    Past Rimmer: Oh, and what do you suggest I do, then? Eat less white bread? More roughage?

    Life is bad for your health. So is clickbait.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    edited October 2015
    MommyL2015 wrote: »
    Being born is the only thing that is known to have a 100% death rate.

    I know you were just being silly, but this is far from true. Most people who are born do not die from it. And I'm sure there are other things with a 100% death rate. Being beheaded, for example.

    Huh? There are people who are born that don't die?? (Superheroes and cloned soap opera characters notwithstanding)??


    I was born, I'm not dead. It may be safe to assume that I will die at some point, but definitely not from being born, and at this point it is just an assumption that can't be proven.
  • jmule24
    jmule24 Posts: 1,382 Member
    kkenseth wrote: »
    jmule24 wrote: »
    kkenseth wrote: »
    I'm going down eating bacon.

    :love: :love: :love: @kkenseth

    Might as well enjoy it, right?

    Going down.... Or eating bacon????
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    MommyL2015 wrote: »
    Being born is the only thing that is known to have a 100% death rate.

    I know you were just being silly, but this is far from true. Most people who are born do not die from it. And I'm sure there are other things with a 100% death rate. Being beheaded, for example.

    Huh? There are people who are born that don't die?? (Superheroes and cloned soap opera characters notwithstanding)??


    I was born, I'm not dead. It may be safe to assume that I will die at some point, but definitely not from being born, and at this point it is just an assumption that can't be proven.

    Misstatements such as "of natural causes" for cause of death is a pet peeve of yours isn't it?
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    jmule24 wrote: »
    kkenseth wrote: »
    jmule24 wrote: »
    kkenseth wrote: »
    I'm going down eating bacon.

    :love: :love: :love: @kkenseth

    Might as well enjoy it, right?

    Going down.... Or eating bacon????

    Both, obviously.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    kkenseth wrote: »
    jmule24 wrote: »
    kkenseth wrote: »
    jmule24 wrote: »
    kkenseth wrote: »
    I'm going down eating bacon.

    :love: :love: :love: @kkenseth

    Might as well enjoy it, right?

    Going down.... Or eating bacon????

    Both, obviously.

    15839085.jpg
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    _John_ wrote: »
    MommyL2015 wrote: »
    Being born is the only thing that is known to have a 100% death rate.

    I know you were just being silly, but this is far from true. Most people who are born do not die from it. And I'm sure there are other things with a 100% death rate. Being beheaded, for example.

    Huh? There are people who are born that don't die?? (Superheroes and cloned soap opera characters notwithstanding)??


    I was born, I'm not dead. It may be safe to assume that I will die at some point, but definitely not from being born, and at this point it is just an assumption that can't be proven.

    Misstatements such as "of natural causes" for cause of death is a pet peeve of yours isn't it?

    It is.
  • Well what am I supposed to eat now?!?!
    Sugar - evil = bad
    Carbs - make me fat = bad
    Chemicals - disrupt hormones = bad
    Vegetarian - plants can hear themselves being eaten = bad
    GMOs - Monsanto is the devil = bad
    and now: Red meat - causes cancer if I eat a pound of bacon = bad

    OK somebody, please tell me what the next fad diet is so I can get on the bandwagon!
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    Well what am I supposed to eat now?!?!
    Sugar - evil = bad
    Carbs - make me fat = bad
    Chemicals - disrupt hormones = bad
    Vegetarian - plants can hear themselves being eaten = bad
    GMOs - Monsanto is the devil = bad
    and now: Red meat - causes cancer if I eat a pound of bacon = bad

    OK somebody, please tell me what the next fad diet is so I can get on the bandwagon!

    Water strongly correlated to drowning!
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    Well what am I supposed to eat now?!?!
    Sugar - evil = bad
    Carbs - make me fat = bad
    Chemicals - disrupt hormones = bad
    Vegetarian - plants can hear themselves being eaten = bad
    GMOs - Monsanto is the devil = bad
    and now: Red meat - causes cancer if I eat a pound of bacon = bad

    OK somebody, please tell me what the next fad diet is so I can get on the bandwagon!

    Amen.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    A nutritionist was on a program here in Italy several years ago When asked about the cancer risk in foods he answered "you can't avoid it, so it's best to spread the risk around"---in other words, don't always eat the same thing everyday. Eating alot of the same food day after day puts you at risk for undesiderable effects from that food. I thought it was good advice.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    A nutritionist was on a program here in Italy several years ago When asked about the cancer risk in foods he answered "you can't avoid it, so it's best to spread the risk around"---in other words, don't always eat the same thing everyday. Eating alot of the same food day after day puts you at risk for undesiderable effects from that food. I thought it was good advice.

    this...so much this...
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    snikkins wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    snikkins wrote: »
    I think the thing I find the most fascinating about these reports of late is the risks that people are willing to take. For example, I've seen a few posts from people (in general, not talking solely about MFP) who are staunch low carb advocates because sugar will kill you just completely dismiss this, whereas they preach the WHO sugar recommendations as gospel.

    People tend to pick and choose the science that they like. It seems silly, but there is a case to be made against so many things that it's not hard to understand someone saying, "I don't care, I'm eating it anyway."

    Especially since things change, I get how it makes sense. My grandpa gave up eggs even though he loved them. Used to have two a day, every day, and quit when they told him what a healthy diet looked like (at that time.) By the time they got around to saying, "Okay, wait, a few eggs is okay," he had died.

    Plus, when you're young, it's impossible to know what is coming. Should you eat this way to prevent this or that way to prevent that? It's not like anyone can see what is going to happen to them when they're sixty years old.

    Some people don't even care and eat whatever they want, knowing it will make them die sooner. They're going on the principal that they'd rather do things they enjoy and die sooner than be cautious and live a little longer but live less happily. Old people, especially. And that's cool.

    Different strokes.

    I don't care what people do; I just personally find the justifications of it interesting. All groups do it, but my example here was relevant to this particular finding. I'm sure the "preachy" vegans will be triumphantly shouting this while ignoring something else.

    Also, I don't think Americans realize that the rest of the world doesn't necessarily think that government/political = garbage. It's something else I find interesting about the responses to these kinds of things.

    Clearly, everyone is going to continue doing whatever they want to in spite of whatever evidence to the contrary. I just find it all fun.
    It is funny when people pick and choose their science. :)
  • Duchy82
    Duchy82 Posts: 560 Member
    Did you know there is a strong correlation between living and cancer?

    The older you become the stronger the link gets.

    In all seriousness:
    Had my bacon bits on my green beans tonight and enjoyed them, it won't stop me eating red meat or bacon or ham. I'm sure sales of processed and red meats will drop in response to this not so new scientific data that is now in the news but won't affect my eating habits, everything in moderation.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Well what am I supposed to eat now?!?!
    Sugar - evil = bad
    Carbs - make me fat = bad
    Chemicals - disrupt hormones = bad
    Vegetarian - plants can hear themselves being eaten = bad
    GMOs - Monsanto is the devil = bad
    and now: Red meat - causes cancer if I eat a pound of bacon = bad

    OK somebody, please tell me what the next fad diet is so I can get on the bandwagon!

    Plants can hear themselves being eaten?? That's a new one for me. ::laugh::
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    A nutritionist was on a program here in Italy several years ago When asked about the cancer risk in foods he answered "you can't avoid it, so it's best to spread the risk around"---in other words, don't always eat the same thing everyday. Eating alot of the same food day after day puts you at risk for undesiderable effects from that food. I thought it was good advice.

    I like this.
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,523 Member
    Tomorrow's headline:

    "Not having cancer increases your chances of having cancer by a factor of 100%!"
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    snikkins wrote: »
    I think the thing I find the most fascinating about these reports of late is the risks that people are willing to take. For example, I've seen a few posts from people (in general, not talking solely about MFP) who are staunch low carb advocates because sugar will kill you just completely dismiss this, whereas they preach the WHO sugar recommendations as gospel.
    I have no issues whatsoever with a breakfast of bacon and eggs, a dinner of black and blue New York strip, and then some ice cream for dessert.

    The WHO, the egg-haters, and the meat-haters can all pound sand.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    I must be an eternal optimist. Right now my biggest concern from this news is when to head to the grocery store and most capitalize on the price drop for all of this. I have a deep freezer in the garage, and by the time grilling season starts, everyone will forget this report, the same way during grilling season people are perfectly willing to ignore that we live only at the whims of a giant ball in space constantly shooting us with class 1A carcinogens.
This discussion has been closed.