A recent scientific study has revealed that excessive consumption of red meat may be linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
This conclusion was reached by Chinese researchers after they analyzed the results of 16 studies related to food quality and the risk of developing cancer. The scientific team examined data from 1.96 million participants, among whom 8,856 cases of pancreatic cancer were recorded.
It was found that people who consumed the most red meat were 16% more likely to develop the disease than those who consumed less.
The researchers also observed a direct relationship between the amount consumed and the risk, as consuming every additional 100 grams of red meat per day was associated with an increase in the likelihood of developing the disease by about 10%. Red meat includes beef, lamb, pork and other mammalian meats.
However, no statistically significant association was found between the consumption of processed meats—such as sausages, hot dogs, bacon and other similar products—and the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. The researchers point out that previous studies on this topic have yielded conflicting results, prompting a large-scale meta-analysis.
The researchers emphasize that the study only shows an association, not a direct causal relationship, between red meat consumption and an increased risk of the disease. However, the findings suggest that reducing red meat consumption may be one way to reduce the risk of this dangerous type of cancer.
