WHO: Eating Processed Meats Increases Chances of Developing Certain Cancers
After reviewing an assessment of the best available scientific evidence, the World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that the consumption of processed meats can increase a personâs chances of developing certain cancers.
WHO, the Geneva-based public health arm of the United Nations, was following a recommendation from its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), whose working group of 22 members from 10 countries reviewed more than 800 scientific studies.
The group classified the consumption of red meat as âprobably carcinogenic to humans,â IARC stated in an announcement on Monday, Oct. 26, 2015. This decision was âbased on limited evidence that the consumption of red meat causes cancer in humans and strong mechanistic evidence supporting a carcinogenic effect.â