Bacon, processed meat can cause cancer: WHO

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The World Health Organization announced in a new report that bacon and processed meat can cause cancer.

The experts from the United Nations health agency says that bacon, cold cuts and hot dogs can raise the risk of developing stomach and colon cancer. The risk, however, is tied down to the processed meat consumption of the consumer.

"For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed," said Dr. Kurt Straif from WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer in France said in a statement. "In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance."

The IARC scientists looked at studies from several countries on meat and cancer. They found that eating 50-grams of processed meat everyday can increase colorectal cancer risk by 18 percent, US News & World Report states.

Healthline reports that processed meat diets can cause about 35,000 cancer deaths per year around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) adds that red meats such as pork, horse, lamb, goat and beef may be carcinogenic as well and may increase risk for prostate, stomach and pancreatic cancers. More research is needed but pan-frying and barbecuing unprocessed meat may increase cancer risk.

The study angered the meat industry and has drawn various responses from them.

A member from the Meat Advisory Panel states that limiting red meat consumption is not the solution to avoid cancer but smoking cessation, maintaining the body's BMI and limiting alcohol intake.

Cancer Research UK has supported the WHO on views for eating processed meat but only states that limiting consumption is key, not totally foregoing it.

"Cancer Research UK supports IARC's decision that there's strong enough evidence to classify processed meat as a cause of cancer, and red meat as a probable cause of cancer," said Prof. Tim Key from Cancer Research UK. "We've known for some time about the probable link between red and processed meat and bowel cancer, which is backed by substantial evidence.

"This decision doesn't mean you need to stop eating any red and processed meat. But if you eat lots of it you may want to think about cutting down. You could try having fish for your dinner rather than sausages, or choosing to have a bean salad for lunch over a BLT," Key said via the report by The Guardian.