Global health body clarifies meat cancer warning

In an explosive report linking the consumption of red meat and cancer, The World Health Organization stressed that 50g of processed meat a day increases the chance of developing colorectal cancer by 18%.

The health body also reported that high temperature cooking on a barbeque can create carcinogenic – cancerous chemicals.

“For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal (bowel) cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” Kurt Straif from the WHO said.

This new study caused shockwaves as even Nigerians reacted to the agency’s warning on twitter.

 

  However, WHO acknowledged that the IARC’s review merely confirmed the UN health agency’s 2002 diet and nutrition recommendations, urging people “to moderate consumption of preserved meat to reduce the risk of cancer.”

 It warned its data did “not permit” the determination of a safe meat quota.

“The latest IARC review does not ask people to stop eating processed meats, but indicates that reducing consumption of these products can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer,” WHO said in a statement.

 “Early next year they will meet to begin looking at the public-health implications of the latest science and the place of processed meat and red meat within the context of an overall healthy diet,” WHO said.