Eating Ham May Cause Cancer

Cancer Charity Warns of Dangers of Eating Processed Meat.

Aug 17, 2009
Ann Burnett

Eating Ham May Cause Cancer - Ann Burnett

The World Cancer Research Fund has asked parents not to give their children processed meats in their lunch boxes ahead of the start of the new school year.

There is convincing evidence that adults who consume more than 70g of processed meat a week have a higher risk of developing bowel cancer. 70g is about the equivalent of three rashers of bacon. So those adults who enjoy a ham sandwich for lunch every day followed by a full English breakfast of bacon and eggs at the weekend are endangering their health.

Red meat is also implicated. More than 500g of cooked red meat per week in one's diet also increases the risks of bowel cancer. It seems, however, that processed meats like sausages, bacon and ham carry a higher risk of cancer.

Bowel Cancer Statistics

Every day in the UK, around 100 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer. That's 37,500 each year and each year over 16,000 die from the disease. The sad thing is, bowel cancer is preventable.

Risk to Children's Health

But it is the health of our children that the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) is most concerned about. The WRCF is keen to encourage healthy eating habits in children and if parents reduce the amount of ham and other processed meats in their diet, then hopefully they will continue the habit into adulthood.

The WCRF defines processed meat as any meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting. This includes:

ham
bacon
pastrami
salami
hot dogs
some types of sausages

Alternatives to Processed Meats

It suggests that foods such as chicken, fish, particularly oily fish like salmon or mackerel, hummus, or a low fat cheese should be used in lunch-time sandwiches for children. These are also low in fat while processed meat products can be extremely high in saturated fats. One product aimed at children and mentioned in their press release, contains 44% fat. The healthier options are just as convenient for a busy mother as ham and salami and other processed meats but do not carry the health risks.

Avoiding Childhood Obesity

By eating a diet high in processed meats and red meat generally, children are liable to become overweight as well. Substituting low fat items such as mentioned above along with a portion of salad or a piece of fruit will help prevent such problems. Avoidance of high sugar drinks is also recommended, replacing them with pure fruit juice or simply water instead.

World Cancer Research Fund

The WCRF was set up to raise awareness of how to prevent cancer occurring and the part that a healthy lifestyle and diet plays in reducing the chance of developing the disease. Changes in lifestyle could help prevent one third of all cancers. Click here to find out more about their work.