Processed Meat: A Complicated Debate

Hot dogs, bacon, sausage—most people agree that processed meats aren’t the healthiest choices. A new study in Nature Medicine confirms this notion, even suggesting that even occasional consumption, like that of beef jerky, could be harmful. The researchers state that “even lower levels” of these dietary risk factors may not be safe. Given the headlines surrounding processed meats, one might feel compelled to avoid them entirely, even if just spotting a piece of bacon.

But, I have my doubts about how bad processed meat really is. The evidence against it is consistent but trying to draw definitive conclusions about food, especially something as studied as processed meat, is still tricky.

Food is an incredibly complex topic in public health. For one, measuring what people eat is notoriously difficult. Researchers often rely on individuals recalling their diets over the past year, and let’s be honest—people aren’t great at doing that. Plus, it’s hard to find a proper control group for specific foods. If you’re testing something like how acetaminophen works, you can create a placebo that looks identical but isn’t active. But for a hamburger? Well, if you get someone to eat a veggie version instead, they’ll likely notice the difference.

This new study has some strengths; it’s a meta-analysis, which combines numerous studies into one statistical model, theoretically giving a clearer picture. This approach allows for an average result across various research endeavors.

Additionally, the authors employed a burden-of-proof analysis, adding further rigor by assessing associations between processed meat and multiple diseases on a five-point scale, from weak to strong.

However, despite aggregating data from many studies, researchers didn’t find a strong case against processed meat. Their analysis revealed a weak correlation (2 out of 5) between processed meat and diabetes, and even the link to colorectal cancer barely reached the same rating. Heart disease was associated at a very weak level (1 out of 5).

The study also considered sugar-sweetened beverage intake, which also showed weak links to diabetes and heart disease.

Why are these associations not stronger? A big reason is the inconsistent evidence. Some studies find an increased risk from small amounts of processed meat, others don’t. Various pieces of research suggest that processed meat causes diabetes, while some argue it’s not an issue at all. The ever-changing nature of food studies makes drawing solid conclusions difficult. Just combining flawed studies doesn’t necessarily yield a clear answer.

Another question arises: what exactly qualifies as “processed meat”? It’s such a broad category that it cannot be easily defined. A cheap hot dog differs greatly from artisan Serrano ham. Both are processed, but their production methods and consumer bases vastly differ. So, when we hear that no amount of processed meat is safe, it invites the question: which types are we discussing? The study often overlooks this nuance.

Moreover, we haven’t pinpointed what about processed meat could be causing health problems. It could be the nitrite preservatives used, or maybe it’s due to high fat and salt contents. Yet, there are many processed meats that don’t include these additives, and the research doesn’t differentiate between them, making it difficult to ascertain whether processed meats could actually lead to cancer.

What can be distilled from the recent findings is that a consistent pattern emerges: individuals who consume more processed meat generally show poorer health outcomes compared to those who eat less. Though the specifics vary by study, the overarching trend suggests a higher likelihood of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer among those indulging in processed meats.

At the end of the day, though, it’s still tough to determine whether processed meat itself is the direct cause of these health issues. It’s conceivable that those who buy more processed meats may differ in other significant ways—perhaps they’re more likely to have lower incomes, and thus, may face health challenges for myriad reasons. We haven’t completely ruled out the idea that higher-income individuals simply buy less processed meat and enjoy better health for reasons that aren’t necessarily tied to their meat choices.

It’s safe to say that consuming large quantities of bacon probably isn’t a wise idea, primarily because it’s calorie-dense due to high fat content, which is well-known to have various negative health effects. Yet, the idea that even small amounts of hot dogs should be avoided lacks robust evidence. I, for one, don’t see a problem with enjoying the occasional slice of salami.