We know that processed meat isn’t particularly good for us, having already been linked to dementia, diabetes, and cancer, but how much of it counts as a ‘safe’ level of consumption? According to new research, there’s no such thing.
US researchers reviewed over 70 previous studies (involving several million participants in total), analyzing the relationships between ultra-processed food and three health issues: type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and colorectal cancer.
Associations for processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, and trans fatty acids were looked into, and it was the processed meat that came out with the worst results – even if the amount eaten is only small.
“The monotonic increases in health risk with increased consumption of processed meat suggest that there is not a ‘safe’ amount of processed meat consumption with respect to diabetes or colorectal cancer risk,” the team from the University of Washington in Seattle writes in their published paper.
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It’s important to put the research into context. The associations found are relatively weak, they don’t prove direct cause and effect, and the analyzed studies relied on self-reported dietary habits (which may not be completely accurate).
However, the study has several strengths too – it uses a Burden of Proof method, which is more conservative when assessing impacts on health. The results tend to be minimum values, which means they likely underestimate the true health risk.
What’s particularly notable here is that minimal increases in consumption still raised risk levels.
“Habitual consumption of even small amounts of processed meat, sugary drinks, and trans fatty acids is linked to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease and colorectal cancer,” University of Washington nutrition biologist Demewoz Haile told CNN.
For example, the equivalent of one hot dog a day was associated with at least an 11 percent greater risk of type 2 diabetes, and at least a 7 percent greater risk of colorectal cancer, compared to eating no processed meat at all.
For beverages, an extra can of sugar-sweetened pop a day was linked to a 8 greater risk of type 2 diabetes, and a 2 percent greater risk of ischemic heart disease, compared to not drinking anything sugary.
For trans fatty acids, a small daily amount was associated with a 3 percent increase in risk of ischemic heart disease, compared with zero consumption.
“This information provides critical data for public health specialists and policymakers responsible for dietary guidelines and potential initiatives that aim to reduce the consumption of these processed foods,” write the researchers.
While the study has limitations, its scale and conservative methodology make it worth taking note of.
This is backed up by a commentary in the same journal, which does note the role of ultra-processed foods in improving food accessibility and shelf life, particularly in areas with limited access to fresh food.
The message from the research team is that cutting out ultra-processed foods as much as possible is the best option for our health.
The research has been published in Nature Medicine.
