Eating red meat increases risk of death from cancer or heart disease
A striking link has been revealed linking red meat consumption and the risk of developing cancer and heart disease, from data collected over 28 years, released yesterday (March 12, 2012).
The study of 120,000 people in America, found that each extra daily serving of processed red meat – equivalent to one hot dog or two rashers of bacon – raised mortality rate by a fifth.
Eating any kind of red meat has been found to increase your chances of dying from heart disease by 16 per cent and from cancer by 10 per cent – according to the most comprehensive study of its kind published in America.
Scientists documented 23,926 deaths, including 5,910 from heart disease and 9,364 from cancer, and there was a striking association in the data between consumption of red meat and premature death.
So people are being advised to drastically reduce the amount of red meat they eat.
UK health charity, the Vegetarian &; Vegan Foundation (VVF), who specialise in researching and promoting the health benefits of eating a plant-based diet, have welcomed the findings.
Joining us to discuss this further is Juliet Gellatley, nutritional therapist and founder and director of the VVF.
Juliet says: “Red meat is a known carcinogen, able to cause mutations in the intestinal lining and so increase cancer of the bowel. The saturated fat content is a serious cause of premature death – causing heart disease, strokes and cancers. The hormone content of red meat is also linked to breast and prostate cancers.
“These are well-established facts that continue to be proven time and time again. The answer is simple. If you want to reduce your chances of developing any of the UK’s biggest killer diseases – stop eating animal products all together.”
For more information, visit www.vegetarian.org.uk.
ENDS
Call 0117 944 1000 to speak to press officer Helen Rossiter, or 0794 453 3021 out-of-hours – Email
vvfpress@vegetarian.org.uk
The results of the study were published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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