> The University of Hawaii has released a new study that shows people who
> consume processed meats have a 6,700% increased risk of pancreatic
> cancer over those who consume little or no meat products. The study was
> done over a period of seven years on nearly 200,000 people. Researchers
> pin the blame on sodium nitrite, a chemical used in nearly all
> processed meats, including sausage, hot dogs, jerkies, bacon, lunch
> meat, and even meats in canned soup products. Although these same meats
> can be purchased without sodium nitrite, consumers must seek the few
> products that are labeled as such. The USDA attempted to ban sodium
> nitrite in the 1970s, but was blocked by the meat industry, which
> relies heavily on the chemical to add color to processed meats, making
> them look more appealing. Author and nutritionist Mike Adams said of
> this and other similar study results, "Sodium nitrite is a dangerous,
> cancer-causing ingredient that has no place in the human food
> supply."
> http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/processedmeat050305.cfm
There seems to be at least some possibility that this whole thing is a hoax (the alleged PI of the study, Ute Nothlings, is nowhere on the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii website) but lets just assume this is just some misguided exageration for now.
The original news report of this story was at "HealthDay" and the article clearly states the absolute risk from eating processed foods is *67%*. This is enough of an important point without the obvious exageration.
http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=525258
I could make a bunch of points about the need for integrity when promoting causes and the whole "boy cried wolf" affect of all the poisonous junk info in the world but I won't bother. I will say that the reporting of 6700% absolute risk increase should be an obvious red flag for anyone who knows basic statistics.
The real tragedy of this misreporting (if real) is that most important message about the risks of pancreatic cancer from eating meat (the study also reported a 50% increase from eating pork or red meat). Even if there were something about processed meats that increased risks (and it appears there is), clearly a larger risk from pork/beef exists in its "unprocessed" form. There are other issues obviously at play as well that none of the reports mention, like other meat eaters in other places do not get pancreatic cancer (this is sadly a disproportionately American problem) for reasons we do not understand.
The forwarded bit and link is just a "bee up my ass" rant about sodium nitrates (which are not good for you but not the "ONLY EVIL IN THE WORLD" Mike Adams makes it out to be).
Jim
"I was the first one ate Limburger cheese And while sailing down the bay with Methuselah one day I saved his flowing whiskers from the breeze Well I was in the Revolution when we set this country free It was me and a couple of Indians who dumped the Boston tea Well I won the battle of Valley Forge and the Battle of Bully Run And that's about the biggest thing that man has ever done Queen Elizabeth fell dead in love with me We were married in Milwaukee secretly"
--Woody Guthrie