More On the WHO Report

After the recent WHO report linking the consumption of processed and red meat with increased risk of colorectal cancer, a backlash ensued, in part promoted by the meat industry as well as meat-eaters. Now the WHO is taking a more conciliatory tone:

The WHO however stressed Thursday that IARC's review merely confirmed the UN health agency's 2002 diet and nutrition recommendations, urging people "to moderate consumption of preserved meat to reduce the risk of cancer."

"The latest IARC review does not ask people to stop eating processed meats, but indicates that reducing consumption of these products can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer," WHO said in a statement.

It pointed out that it has a standing group of experts who regularly evaluate the links between diet and disease.

"Early next year they will meet to begin looking at the public-health implications of the latest science and the place of processed meat and red meat within the context of an overall healthy diet," WHO said.

Additional studies and analyses on this subject will be welcome, and it is of course true that consumption of these meats will be less problematic if part of a diet high in vegetables and fiber.

The problem is that many people, particularly those who eat a diet enriched in processed and red meat, do not eat sufficient vegetables (or fruits and whole grains) and have an insufficient fiber intake. In addition, the lack of a clear message can be taken as an excuse to ignore the basic message. Meat-lovers, supported by rhetoric from the meat lobby, and indecisive language from experts, will assume that “eating processed/red meat is OK,” ignoring the parts on moderation and on vegetables/fiber, or misunderstanding what it means.

If someone eats robust helpings of processed and/or red meat every day, but not at every single meal, is that “moderation?”  Is eating their processed meats with deep-fried hash browns an example of “vegetable consumption?”  Is eating one Fiber One bar along with their bacon and steak sandwich an adequate fiber intake?

If you have a truly healthy diet, eating the occasional meal with processed or red meat is highly unlikely to cause any harm.  If you have a diet high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, with a good intake of dietary fiber, then, yes, certainly, there is no need to completely eliminate processed or red meat from the diet.

Perhaps we need to stress more on what people should be eating, rather than what they should not. If people consume mostly plant-based and fiber-rich foods, and if they eat in moderation, then they likely “will not have the room” to tuck away large amounts of meat. Adjusting their diet to include healthy foodstuffs may adjust their attitude toward food better than dire WHO warnings. The best way to get people to cut back on more unhealthy foods is to point out healthier substitutes, and positively encourage consumption of those substitutes. One has to be careful not to trigger a stubborn sense of defiance in people; they may not like to be lectured to, and may eat bacon breakfast, lunch, and dinner as sense of independence and autonomy.

Perhaps studies need to be done on the public’s perception about food, to find out precisely why the more unhealthy choices are more popular (aside from the known appeal of fat, sugar, and salt).