Processed meat probably carcinogenic to humans – CBS This Morning
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Coronary heart disease claims nearly nine million lives each year, making it one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It occurs when the coronary arteries become narrowed by a build-up of atheroma, a fatty material that lines their walls. The narrowing of the arteries can cause chest pain, known as angina, and if the artery becomes blocked it can cause a heart attack. A new study, led by the University of Oxford, has found that eating processed meat can increase the risk of the condition significantly.
A study, published in the Critical Reviews in Food and Science, found that eating processed meat can increase the risk of coronary heart disease by 18 percent.
Researchers at the University of Oxford’s Department of Population Health, investigated the link between processed meat and heart disease in an analysis that included 13 cohort studies and involved more than 1.4 million people.
The subjects of the study completed detailed dietary assessments tracking their health over the course of 30 years.
Researchers found that daily consumption of just 50 grams of processed meat, such as bacon, ham and sausages, increased the risk of coronary heart disease by 18 percent.
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An intake of 50 grams of unprocessed red meat, such as beef, lamb or pork, increased the risk by 9 percent.
Researchers saw no association between the consumption of lean white meats, such as chicken and turkey, and an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
Keren Paper, co-lead author of the study, said: “Red and processed meat have been consistently linked with bowel cancer and our findings suggest an additional role in heart disease.
“Therefore, current recommendations to limit red and processed meat consumption may also assist with the prevention of coronary heart disease.”
A study in 2018, conducted by the American Heart Association, found that animal fat consumption could increase one’s risk of death by 21 percent, while eating unsaturated fats from plants could decrease one’s risk of overall mortality by 16 percent.
According to the British Heart Foundation, there are around 7.6 million people living with heart and circulatory diseases in the UK.
These numbers are expected to rise further, with improved survival rates from heart and circulatory events.
In the UK, one in eight men and one in 15 women die from heart disease, making the disease more deadly than breast cancer.
The British Foundation has outlined some of the most significant risk factors for coronary Heart disease:
High blood pressure: Around 50 percent of heart attacks and stokes are associated with high blood pressure. High blood pressure if the leading modifiable risk factor for heart and circulatory disease in the UK.
An estimated 28 percent of adults in the UK have high blood pressure – which equated to 15 million adults – half of which are not receiving effective treatment.
Diabetes: In the UK, one third of adults with diabetes die from a heart or circulatory disease. Diabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are elevated over a prolonged period of time, thereby damaging the inner linking of blood vessels, making it a significant risk factor for heart and circulatory diseases.
High cholesterol: High LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol is associated with 1 in 4 heart and circulatory diseases. It is estimated that close to half of adults in the UK are living with cholesterol levels above national guidelines.
Obesity: Around 28 percent of adults in the UK have obesity, and more than a 36 percent have a body-mass index defined as overweight. In the UK around 1 in 6 heart and circulatory disease deaths are associated with a high-body mass index.
Diet and exercise: It is believed up to 37 percent of adults in the UK do not meet physical activity recommendations. Being physically active can reduce the risk of developing heart and circulatory disease by as much as 35 percent.
Smoking: At least one in 7 adults smokes cigarettes in the UK. It estimated that at least 15,000 deaths from heart and circulatory diseases can be attributed to smoking.
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