What you need to know about the WHO´s report on red meat and cancer (and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' response)

This week´s press release from World Health Organization (WHO) made a revolution in the media when announcing that both processed meats and red meat will be now classified as carcinogens. After this report, food and nutrition experts in my country -Argentina-, the nation with the second highest consumption of beef in the world, are getting lots of questions from meat lovers: should I give up on beef? How much meat is OK to eat? Here, the facts:  

1. What does the report say? The statement, made from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of the WHO, classifies “the consumption of red meat as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A), based on limited evidence that the consumption of red meat causes cancer in humans”. And “Processed meat was classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), based on sufficient evidence in humans that the consumption of processed meat causes colorectal cancer”.  Red meat refers to meat that is red colored before it is cooked, such as beef, veal, pork, lamb, goat. Processed meat refers to any meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation. 
2. What Group 1 and Group 2a carcinogen means? Group 1 carcinogen (processed meat) is the same group that includes smoking and alcohol and Group 2a carcinogen (red meat) is the same group as ultraviolet radiation. While this may sound frightening, it’s important to keep in mind that this classification show how certain IARC is that red and processed meat cause cancer, not how much cancer they cause. The report says that each 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%, while the risk lung cancer from tobacco is much higher (86%). There are still plenty of questions to answer about how red meat’s relates to cancer.
3. What´s the evidence? We know that there is a large body of evidence that links colorectal cancer with higher consumption of processed meat and red meats. A meta-analysis of prospective studies funded by the World Cancer Research Fund International published in 2011 (Chan, et al) is one of the most convincing studies that support this relationship.   However, we should remember that risk is not the same as cause and that many lifestyle and genetic factors will determine cancer development. 
4. The report has no conclusion about the safest method of cooking meat. But in a Questions & Answers sheet, IARC says that cooking at high temperatures or with the food in direct contact with a flame or a hot surface, as in barbecuing or pan-frying, produces more of certain types of carcinogenic chemicals (such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic aromatic amines). 
5. How much red meat is safe to eat? WHO´s statement recognizes that red meat has “nutritional value”. Red meat is an important source of iron, proteins and B vitamins; so moderate red meat consumption can be part of a healthy diet.  There is no enough evidence to give meat lovers a specific amount that is okey to consume. A moderate amount might be an average of 70-80 grams of red meat per day, but it varies according to other dietary and individual factors. And, it´s recommended to limit consumption of processed meats (eat only occasionally).  Finally, is still to see how this report influences dietary recommendations worldwide.
6. What the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says? When I was finishing this post, I was glad to see the Academy response to WHO report published today, October 29th. The Academy recommends consumers in the United States vary their daily protein choices by including lean meats and limit processed meat consumption. More importantly, the Academy emphasizes a balance of food and beverages within energy needs, rather than any one food or meal according to the Academy's Total Diet Approach to Healthy Eating position paper, saying that “when too much emphasis is given to a single food or food component, confusion and controversy can hinder, rather than facilitate, consumers' ability to adopt healthy dietary patterns” and that “Anyone who is concerned about how red meat can be included into a healthy eating plan should consult a registered dietitian nutritionist” 

Romina