A new study has shown that eating even a moderate amount of red or processed meat may increase the risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer.
The study found that people who ate 78 grams of red and processed meat daily, which is in line with current guidelines and is roughly the equivalent of a quarter pounder, had a 20% higher chance of developing colorectal cancer compared to those who ate around 21 grams a day, the equivalent to one slice of ham.
Results of the research also discovered that processed meat, such as sausages and bacon, had a higher risk of colorectal cancer compared with red meat. The risk increases by 20% for every 25 grams of processed meat people ate per day while it only increases by 19% with every 50 grams of red meat.
Professor Tim Key, who co-authored the study and is deputy director at the University of Oxford's cancer epidemiology unit, said: "A small amount of processed meat seems to have the same effect as a large amount of red meat."
The study, which was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, examined the diets of nearly half a million UK adults, between the ages of 40 and 69, and over the course of five years on average. During this period, 2,609 of the participants developed colorectal cancer.
The UK National Health Service (NHS) stated that a slice of ham contains 23 grams of processed meat while a grilled 8 ounce steak contains 163 grams of red meat. Cancer Research UK mentioned that the current NHS guidance advises people eating over 90 grams (cooked weight) of red and processed meat a day should reduce this to 70 grams.
"Our results strongly suggest that people who eat red and processed meat four or more times a week have a higher risk of developing bowel cancer than those who eat red and processed meat less than twice a week," Key added.
