Abstract
BackgroundRed meat and processed meat have been associated with carcinogenesis at several anatomic sites, but no prospective study has examined meat intake in relation to a range of malignancies. We investigated whether red or processed meat intake increases cancer risk at a variety of sites.Methods and FindingsThe National Institutes of Health (NIH)-AARP (formerly the American Association for Retired Persons) Diet and Health Study is a cohort of approximately 500,000 people aged 50–71 y at baseline (1995–1996). Meat intake was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire administered at baseline. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals within quintiles of red and processed meat intake. During up to 8.2 y of follow-up, 53,396 incident cancers were ascertained. Statistically significant elevated risks (ranging from 20% to 60%) were evident for esophageal, colorectal, liver, and lung cancer, comparing individuals in the highest with those in the lowest quintile of red meat intake. Furthermore, individuals in the highest quintile of processed meat intake had a 20% elevated risk for colorectal and a 16% elevated risk for lung cancer.ConclusionsBoth red and processed meat intakes were positively associated with cancers of the colorectum and lung; furthermore, red meat intake was associated with an elevated risk for cancers of the esophagus and liver.
Highlights
Much of the global variation in cancer incidence has been attributed to environmental influences, including dietary preferences
Individuals in the highest quintile of processed meat intake had a 20% elevated risk for colorectal and a 16% elevated risk for lung cancer. Both red and processed meat intakes were positively associated with cancers of the colorectum and lung; red meat intake was associated with an elevated risk for cancers of the esophagus and liver
We prospectively investigated red and processed meat intake in relation to cancer incidence in a cohort of approximately half a million men and women enrolled in the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-AARP Diet and Health Study
Summary
Much of the global variation in cancer incidence has been attributed to environmental influences, including dietary preferences. Does meat intake vary substantially around the world, but diets high in red or processed meats have been associated with carcinogenesis at a variety of anatomic sites. Red meat and processed meat have been associated with carcinogenesis at several anatomic sites, but no prospective study has examined meat intake in relation to a range of malignancies. Much of the global variation in cancer incidence and type is thought to be due to environmental influences. These include exposure to agents in the air or water that cause cancer, and lifestyle factors such as smoking and diet. The hope is that by identifying the environmental factors that cause or prevent cancer, the global burden of cancer can be reduced
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