Bowel cancer prevention: Brits told to go easy on red meat

Bowel Cancer Linked to Red Meat

Bowel cancer is responsible for 16,500 deaths in Britain each year, and health officials want to minimize that number by encouraging Brits to reduce the consumption of processed and red meat.

The UK Department of Health said 90 grams and above of red meat per day will increase the risk of bowel cancer. Some 42 percent of men and 12 percent of women in Britain eat at least 90 grams every day according to records. The department recommends cutting the intake down to 70 grams per day.

A 70-gram serving is roughly the same as six slices of salami, two slices of roast meat, or one lamb chop, said the statement.

Health officials tried to strike a balance between the nutritional benefits of red meat and the dangers of too much consumption.

"Red meat can be part of a healthy balanced diet. It is a good source of protein and vitamins and minerals, such as iron, selenium, zinc and B vitamins," Chief Medical Officer Sally Davies said. "But people who eat a lot of red and processed meat should consider cutting down."

"The occasional steak or extra few slices of lamb is fine, but regularly eating a lot could increase your risk of bowel cancer," she added.

The health department issued the warning about the link between red meat and bowel cancer following a study showing that dietary iron for Brits will not decline even if red meat consumption was reduced to 70 grams per day.

The bottom line message is that cutting down red meat consumption will significantly reduce the risk of bowel cancer.

Posted by George Daniels on Saturday February 26 2011, 5:11 AM EST. Ref: Bloomberg. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0