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Regular consumption of these foods was associated with a 9% higher risk of breast cancer, according to an analysis of previous studies involving more than 1.2 million women.
Processed meats are those that have been preserved by smoking, drying or salting.
"This systematic review and meta-analysis report significant positive associations between processed meat consumption and breast cancer risk," the authors wrote.
"The reduction of processed meat seems beneficial for the prevention of breast cancer," said Dr. Maryam Farvid, senior author of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
But scientists have not suggested people to completely cut processed meats from their diet, and experts have warned that the study should be viewed with caution.
"The individual risk is small"
The paper leaves "many questions unanswered" and does not prove that increased consumption of processed meat directly led to breast cancer among the women studied, according to Kevin McConway, professor emeritus of applied statistics at the University of Toronto. Open University of the United Kingdom.
"I just can not tell you how many cases of breast cancer there would be more if everyone ate an extra bacon sandwich every day – this research just can not give that information," added McConway.
The authors of the study admitted that previous studies on the link between processed meat and breast cancer had produced "inconsistent" results.
Gunter Kuhnle, associate professor of nutrition and health at the University of Reading, said that "if the evidence of classification of processed meat as a carcinogen is strong, the real risk for the individual is very weak and more relevant at the population level. "
"Whether [study] justifies a change of current [UK] The recommendation of 70 grams of red and processed meat is questionable, "he added.
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