Bacon, hot dogs linked to cancer

Eating bacon and hot dogs increases your risk of cancer, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report released Monday, which also found a possible link between red meat and the disease.

The WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified processed meats, including bacon, sausage, hot dogs and beef jerky, as a known carcinogen to humans and found that consuming a daily portion of 50 grams or about 1.8 ounces, increases the risk of colon or rectal cancer by 18 percent.

{mosads}The IARC classified red meats, like beef, veal, pork and lamb, as a probable carcinogen to humans. Though the study focused on the relationship between red meat and colon cancer, experts also found a link between red meats and pancreatic and prostate cancer.

“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,” Dr. Kurt Straif, head of the IARC Monographs program, said in a news release. “In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance.”

In a news release, IARC Director Dr. Christopher Wild said the findings further support public health recommendations to eat less meat.

“At the same time, red meat has nutritional value,” he said. “Therefore, these results are important in enabling governments and international regulatory agencies to conduct risk assessments, in order to balance the risks and benefits of eating red meat and processed meat and to provide the best possible dietary recommendations.”