Eating just one slice of bacon a day linked to higher risk of colorectal cancer, says study

https://www.ksl.com/article/4653375...ncer-says-study


Diet and colorectal cancer in UK Biobank: a prospective study

https://academic.oup.com/ije/advanc...70096#133824902

Abstract
Background
Most of the previous studies on diet and colorectal cancer were based on diets consumed during the 1990s.

Methods
We used Cox-regression models to estimate adjusted hazard ratios for colorectal cancer by dietary factors in the UK Biobank study. Men and women aged 40–69 years at recruitment (2006–10) reported their diet on a short food-frequency questionnaire (n = 475 581). Dietary intakes were re-measured in a large sub-sample (n = 175 402) who completed an online 24-hour dietary assessment during follow-up. Trends in risk across the baseline categories were calculated by assigning re-measured intakes to allow for measurement error and changes in intake over time.

Results
During an average of 5.7 years of follow-up, 2609 cases of colorectal cancer occurred. Participants who reported consuming an average of 76 g/day of red and processed meat compared with 21 g/day had a 20% [95% confidence interval (CI): 4–37] higher risk of colorectal cancer. Participants in the highest fifth of intake of fibre from bread and breakfast cereals had a 14% (95% CI: 2–24) lower risk of colorectal cancer. Alcohol was associated with an 8% (95% CI: 4–12) higher risk per 10 g/day higher intake. Fish, poultry, cheese, fruit, vegetables, tea and coffee were not associated with colorectal-cancer risk.

Conclusions
Consumption of red and processed meat at an average level of 76 g/d that meets the current UK government recommendation (≤90 g/day) was associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Alcohol was also associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, whereas fibre from bread and breakfast cereals was associated with a reduced risk.

Unfortunately read meats and processed meats continue to be classified together; they are very different.

This exact line of thinking is what has raised Colon problems through the roof in the US, now affecting people at younger and younger ages.

Does make me wonder why the Beef industry is not racing to promote grass feed beef--- of course that flies in the face of the industrial beef production systems, their biggest members.

Fortunately, the amount of grass fed beef available is increasing.

They promote US produced beef and if you look, so much of the grass fed beef being sold is imported.
http://www.beefusa.org/

Healthy user bias strikes again? Are typical people who care about their health more likely to believe bacon or whole grains is the healthier choice and eat accordingly? Along with all the genuinely healthy things they do in addition that really do benefit their health? Plus, more food questionnaires? I personally have changed my eating style many times over the years. One or two questionnaires, even if I could accurately describe what I ate, wouldn't mean much over that long a time.

In so many of these surveys they don't ask the right questions so that someone eating low carb can answer the questions correctly and accurately, as many here have said before.

Whatever.....I will chance ass cancer in order to keep eating beautiful bacon!

I read that the nitrates and nitrites in bacon are molecularly identical to the nitrates and nitrites in celery and many other vegetables.

That makes me wonder why? Is it the bacon or other habits since they can't experiment on people, they have to use statistical studies. Do the bacon eaters also have other eating habits that might be the culprit? I don't know.

I also read that taking vitamin C with the nitrates and/or nitrites in meat makes them metabolize like those in vegetables. So to be on the safe side, I take a vitamin C tab with bacon. It can't hurt and C is good for me anyway.

I'm not saying their study is wrong, just that there is a possibility they are barking up the wrong tree.

Just a skeptical guy I guess.

Bob

PS I've had bacon in the UK and it is not even similar to the bacon on the US. I don't think it's even cured.

I think it must be cured to some degree, but don't really know; just from the color & saltiness. It is a different cut of meat, I do know that, though my pig anatomy knowledge isn't sufficient to say from where. I always loved the little strip of "rind" (skin) along the edge ... the chewy bit. As a child I didn't like bacon, neither American nor English (didn't like anything salty then), but always begged for the rinds that the rest of the family cut off, when we were in England.

But to make any comparisons from UK bacon to Canadian bacon to USA bacon is IMHO foolish.

My problem with USA bacon is that it is getting harder and harder to find it cured without sugar. Our local Publix used to carry Gwaltney thick sliced, with 0 sugar, but now they carry the sugar cured variety of the same brand I pick up everything in every store and find sugar in the ingredients.

And bacon isn't the kind of food you can get mailed to you.

Oh, I'll eat the kind with minimal sugar, but would rather do without. If a little sugar sneaks in here, and there, and elsewhere it all adds up. I'm under then 20 carbs per day or I gain weight.

Bob

I like that vitamin c tip! I take therapeutic niacin after meals, which includes a b complex and a vitamin C.

I think the whole red mea/cured meat is going to turn out that unless you are the tiny slice that has been low carb over the decades, that bacon always came with toast, and the red meat served on a bun.

There is a demonstrable higher colorectal cancer rate in vegetarians. Yet no one tells us to stop eating vegetables and fiber.

This is always the case it seems to me too, that in these studies they can't understand that it's the carbs with the meats that are the issue with most every medical issue.

Do you go to Costco? I don't think the house brand (Kirkland) has sugar. The also carry Hempler's uncured bacon which has no nitrites (but it does have celery salt) and no sugar, but I'm not sure if that's nationwide.

I agree. None of these studies will show anything meaningful until they manage to study REAL low carb diets.