While hot dogs are an iconic part of American food culture and bring joy to many, emerging evidence suggests that processed meats may also be linked to some of America’s major diseases.
Recent estimates suggest that the average American should be especially careful to limit their intake of processed meats such as bacon, sausage, and salami.
This advice may be hard for some to accept, but if you can stomach the losses, the gains can be huge.
Public health data shows that reducing processed meat consumption by 30% over the next 10 years — about 61 grams (2.1 ounces) per week — could prevent 352,900 cases of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes92,500 cases of cardiovascular disease, and 53,300 cases of colon cancer. cancerand the death toll from all causes is 16,700.
The model suggests that a national reduction in processed meat intake of just 5 percent would still have public health benefits, albeit smaller.
Although more research is needed to substantiate the results, scientists from the University of Edinburgh in the UK and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill say: Assert Processed meats are high in sodium and saturated fat, and “food choices should be fresh, frozen, or canned, rather than processed, meat and poultry.”
Compared to unprocessed red meats such as ground beef and sirloin, processed meats are more clearly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, including colorectal cancer.
but, Lack of conclusive research As for unprocessed red meat, the study authors found tentative indications that eating processed meat may reduce health risks. or Unprocessed red meat can have negative long-term health effects.
The international research team used public health and nutrition data from 8,665 people to create a “microsimulation” of more than 242 million U.S. adults.
The researchers found that, at baseline, processed meat consumption in the United States is about 29 grams per day, while unprocessed red meat consumption is about 46.7 grams per day.
According to the model, a 30% reduction both Reducing the types of meat measured (a total of 8.7 grams of processed meat and 14 grams of unprocessed red meat per day) could reduce over 1 million cases of type 2 diabetes, 382,400 cases of cardiovascular disease, 84,400 cases of colorectal cancer, and 62,200 all-cause deaths over 10 years.
Microsimulation models are sometimes Considered Although “theoretically similar to a randomized controlled trial,” there was great heterogeneity in unprocessed red meat consumption in recent cohorts, limiting the sensitivity of the analysis.
The results for processed meats are even more compelling.
In 2015, who (Who) Officially Classified Processed meat is considered “carcinogenic.” Discovered in a 2021 meta-analysis Eating 50 grams of processed meat daily increases the risk of colon cancer by 18 percent.
American Heart Association Recommendation Limit processed meat to about 100 grams per week, or 14 grams per day.
Recent microsimulations suggest that these recommendations may become even more stringent.
Despite a growing body of research linking processed meat consumption to chronic health effects, processed meat intake in the United States has not decreased over the past 20 years.
Considering diabetes Impact Currently, about 12 percent of the U.S. population is made up of people aged 65 and over, and about 30 percent of people are 65 and older, so changing the way we eat could help millions of people live healthier lives.
of Dietary Guidelines for AmericansThe plan, which is due to be updated in 2025, serves as the basis for federal food policy and establishes food assistance programs, school lunches and elementary nutrition education.
Therefore, issuing specific recommendations to reduce processed meat intake “could have far-reaching implications, particularly for U.S. children and adolescents,” the study authors wrote. Conclusion.
This study The Lancet Planetary Health.
