High Consumption of Red Meat Can Increase Risk for Certain Cancers, Study Finds
Long-term, daily consumption of two to three ounces of red meat could increase risk for distal colon cancer by 30% and rectal cancer by 40%, according to a study published on Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, USA Today reports (Szabo, USA Today, 1/12).
The study, led by Ann Chao of the American Cancer Society, involved 148,610 adults ages 50 to 74 in 21 states (Mestel, Los Angeles Times, 1/12). Study participants reported information on meat consumption in 1982 and in 1992 or 1993 as part of the ACS Cancer Prevention Study II Nutritional Cohort.
According to the study, men consumed a median of about two ounces of red meat daily, and women consumed a median of 1.4 ounces daily. Men who consumed the most red meat daily ate about 10 times more than those who consumed the least, women who consumed the most red meat daily ate about 17 times more than those who consumed the least, the study found (Niedowski, Baltimore Sun, 1/12).
The study found that high consumption of red meat -- defined as three or more ounces daily for men and two or more ounces daily for women -- led to an increased risk for colon and rectal cancers among participants. In addition, the study found that high consumption of processed meat -- defined as one ounce five or six days per week -- had similar effects. However, ACS Director Eugenia Calle said that the actual increase in risk for colon and rectal cancers is low among those with high consumption of red meat.
In an editorial that accompanied the study, Walter Willett, a nutrition expert at the Harvard School of Public Health, estimated that as many as 70% of colon cancer cases are preventable through proper diet and exercise (Corbett Dooren, Wall Street Journal, 1/12). Calle said, "If you're going to eat red meat, you should choose smaller portions, leaner cuts, and you should try to get your protein less from red and processed meats and more from fish, poultry, nuts and beans" (Los Angeles Times, 1/12).
An abstract of the study is available online.
A second study published on Wednesday in JAMA found that high consumption of fruits and vegetables does not appear to reduce the risk for breast cancer among women as previous studies have indicated.
In the study, researchers at the University Medical Center in the Netherlands examined data for 285,526 women from 10 nations who completed dietary questionnaires between 1992 and 1998. Researchers tracked study participants until 2002. Over that time, study participants reported 3,659 cases of breast cancer.
According to the study, the results did not indicate a significant link between fruit and vegetable consumption and breast cancer risk (Wall Street Journal, 1/12).
An abstract of the study is available online.
A third study published on Wednesday in JAMA that involved 1.29 million South Korean residents found that diabetes can increase risk for the development of, and death from, cancer by 30%.
In the study, lead author Sun Ha Jee, a public health researcher at Yonsei University in Seoul, and colleagues analyzed data for adults ages 30 to 95 who were enrolled in a health plan. Researchers tracked study participants between 1992 and 2002.
According to the study, about 5% of participants had diabetes, and 26,473 died of cancer. The study found that participants with diabetes had increased risk for pancreatic liver, esophageal and colon cancers. Ha Jee said that the increased risk could result from an effect of insulin on cell growth (Tanner, AP/Las Vegas Sun, 1/12).
An abstract of the study is available online.
NPR's "Morning Edition" on Wednesday reported on the studies. The segment includes comments from Deborah Armstrong, a physician at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University; David Grotto, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association; and Michael Thune, chief epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society (Shapiro, "Morning Edition," NPR, 1/12). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer. Expanded NPR coverage is available online.
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