Eating processed meats linked to breast cancer risk

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Eating processed meat is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a review of the studies.

Most experts believe that processed meats, such as hot dogs, bacon, ham and salami, are carcinogenic, but evidence of this belief depends primarily on studies of colorectal, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. prostate.

For this analysis, in the International Journal of Cancer, researchers combined data from 16 prospective observational studies on the association of processed meat with breast cancer.

They found that a high consumption of processed meat (about 25 to 30 grams per day on average) was associated with a 9% increase in breast cancer risk compared to those consuming the lowest amounts (0 at 2 grams per day). The association with another consumption of red meat was not significant.

The authors acknowledge that there are observational studies, which do not allow conclusions to be drawn about the causes and effects, and that none could control all the possible risk factors.

Lead author, Maryam S. Farvid, a researcher at the Harvard Nutrition Department, said the mechanism was not clear, but that conservatives in processed meat could be one of the causes of the link.

In any case, she said, "my recommendation is that it is good for women to reduce their consumption of processed meat."