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last update:Dec 4, 2006
Bacon linked to increased risk for bladder cancer
Research suggests that people who eat bacon at least five times a week are
59% more likely to develop bladder cancer than those who don't eat it at
all.
The possible culprits are chemicals called nitrosamines and heterocyclic
amines, according to the Harvard University study, which appears in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Nitrosamines, known to be carcinogenic in large quantities, are usually found
in high levels in bacon. Heterocyclic amines, also known carcinogens, form when
meat is cooked at high temperatures.
Data studies
A team with Boston's Harvard School of
Public Health studied data on nearly 136,000 people who were evaluated for up to
22 years, during which some 808 developed bladder cancer.
However,
scientists also found that people who ate bacon and other processed meats were
also more likely to smoke and consume more fat and fewer vitamins. They also
were less likely to exercise.
Skinless chicken
The
study also posits that people who frequently eat skinless chicken are 52% more
likely to develop the same disease.
More research is needed to determine if causality can be established between
high levels of bacon and chicken consumption and bladder cancer.
Related website:
• Harvard University
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