A prospective study of red and processed meat intake in relation to cancer risk.

Individuals with high dietary intake of red and processed meats are susceptible to liver, colorectal, lung, and esophageal cancers.

This study was carried out to determine the association between dietary intake of unprocessed and processed red meat and the odds of developing cancer. Using validated food frequency questionnaires, researchers collated and examined data on the meat intake of 500,000 volunteers between the ages of 50-71 years recruited from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-AARP (formerly the American Association for Retired Persons) Diet and Health Study Cohort. The cancer odds ratios of all the participants in this study were also evaluated.

Researchers observed that high consumption of both processed and unprocessed red meats increased the likelihood of developing lung and colorectal cancer. In addition, a surge in liver and esophageal cancer risk was linked to regular intake of unprocessed red meat in this study. The results of this study support the hypothesis that diets rich in red and processed meats may promote the development of cancerous cells in the colon, rectum, liver, lungs, and esophagus.