Processed meat death study conclusions ‘unsafe’

A study of half a million people in 10 European countries claimed to show that eating processed meat increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and early death.

But Dr Carrie Ruxton, a dietician from the Meat Advisory Panel, told FoodManufacture.co.uk that conclusions about processed meat and the increased risk of mortality were unsafe because the researchers had not given sufficient weight to lifestyle factors.

“The trouble with this research is that the people who ate a high proportion of processed meat, also smoked and had high levels of alcohol consumption while eating low proportions of fresh vegetables.​

Lifestyle factors​

“That makes it impossible to separate the processed meat consumption from the lifestyle factors and say that it was the meat that did it​ [caused the higher risk of mortality].”

Also, the average daily intake of bacon, ham, meat pies and sauages was 38gm – well below the danger threshold of 160gm a day identified in the study, said Ruxton. The average level of red meat intake a day was 72gm.

Ruxton advised consumers to enjoy meat as part of a well-balanced diet, while reserving processed foods – such as bacon, sausage, salami and pepperoni – as occasional treats a few times a week.

Eating a range of fresh meats – including pork, lamb and veal – provides a rich source of vitamins and minerals and should be combined with eating recommended portions of fruit and vegetables, she said.

The European research was the latest in long list of food scares​ hyped by British newspapers, said Ruxton.

Such scare stories were unhelpful to consumers as they tried to interpret research findings.

“We should see newspapers as sources of entertainment rather than scientific fact,”​ said Ruxton. “They want to sensationalise news to sell newspapers. They warn about the dangers of something one week, and the next week, talk about its health benefits.”​

British Heart Foundation heart health dietitian Tracy Parker agreed that lifestyle factors could have skewed the results. “The people who ate the most processed meat in this study also made other unhealthy lifestyle choices,” ​said Parker. “They were found to eat less fruit and vegetables and were more likely to smoke, which may have had an impact on the results.​

“Red meat can still be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. Opting for leaner cuts and using healthier cooking methods such as grilling will help to keep your heart healthy. If you eat lots of processed meat, try to vary your diet with other protein choices such as chicken, fish, beans or lentils.”​

Cardiovascular diseases ​

Meanwhile, the researchers at the University of Zurich concluded: “The results of our analysis support a moderate positive association between processed meat consumption and mortality in particular due to cardiovascular diseases but also cancer.”  ​

After accounting for lifestyle factors, they estimated that 3% of premature deaths could be prevented each year if people ate fewer than 20g of processed meat a day. That is the equivalent to a rasher of bacon, a chipolata sausage or a thin slice of ham.

Professor Tim Lang said the public needed more dietary advice. “This study is another reminder of the need for sustainable dietary guidelines – and the public are not getting it,”​ he told BBC Radio4’s Today​ programme.

The study​ – Meat consumption and mortality; results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition – was published in the journal BMC Medicine​.