The latest study linking red meat consumption to an increased cancer risk is not likely to change eating habits, say dietitians.
The study, sponsored by the national cancer institute in Washington, D.C., was released at the end of March. Over 10 years it monitored what people older than 50 ate and then evaluated how many died from cancer, heart diseases and other causes.
Of the 540,000 surveyed, those at greatest risk consumed far more red meat than the average Canadian, said Mary Ann Binnie, nutrition manager with the Canadian Pork Council.
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The study involved food frequency questionnaires where people provided information on their eating habits for a year.
However, people sometimes tell researchers what they think is the most favourable information. It may not be what they actually ate, she said.
“People might report what they think is the right thing to do.”
Statistics Canada reports the average Canadian eats about 78 grams of meat per day while the recommended serving under the Canada Food Guide is 75 grams per day or about three ounces of cooked fish, shellfish, poultry or lean meat.
The guide recommends a serving of meat every day or alternatives like peanut butter, nuts, eggs and cooked legumes.
However, many continue to over indulge.
“They are getting a lot of calories from fats and oil, condiments, candies, chips and beverages,” said Binnie.
Ron Glaser of the Beef Information Centre reiterated the value of pork, beef and other red meats as a source of protein, iron, zinc and vitamins like D, B12, niacin and thiamine.
“We maintain that people practice balance in their lifestyles as laid out in the Canada Food Guide,” Glaser said.
Brenda Arychuk, an Edmonton dietitian who teaches and writes about nutrition, said the recent study was thorough because it was large and accounted for variables like cancer caused by lifestyle and family history.
“They still found a modest increase in the high meat eaters versus the low meat eaters but you can’t avoid the fact that when you look at the people who were the highest meat eaters and their weight and things like that, they are definitely in a higher risk group to begin with,” she said.
“This study does not say stop eating red meat by any means. The most blatant thing is the whole lifestyle issue.
Those most at risk had other vices like being overweight and inactive, or they were smokers who did not eat enough fruits and vegetables.
Arychuk also recommends following the food guide.
Studies raise a short-term alarm and health-care professionals do not want people to drop foods from their diet based on these reports, she said.
For example, teenage girls are at risk of becoming iron deficient if they drop red meat from their diets.
“Skipping out something like that could be detrimental because red meat is definitely a good source of higher, absorbable iron,” Arychuk said.
Good nutrition is learned at home and with fewer families eating together, people may be missing out, especially growing teenagers who are grabbing quick, fast food, she said.
