New publication injects some balance into the red meat debate

Since the World Health Organisation (WHO) released their preliminary report into possible links between meat, including processed meat, and cancer there has been a steady stream of conflicting statements and alarmist articles from the mainstream media.

As often happens, the desire for attention-grabbing headlines can, in some cases, obscure the full facts surrounding a subject. Some newspaper articles have singled-out individual parts of the research without offering the full context. This in turn has resulted in some fundamental misunderstandings amongst consumers.

When it comes to diet and nutrition, it is particularly important to make sure that people don’t make potentially harmful changes to their diet based on a lack of information or a misunderstanding of the facts. While it may be right for some people to moderate their consumption of certain foods, others could be making the choice to change their diet completely for the wrong reasons.

The Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board has recognised the need for a more balanced and clear presentation of the facts surrounding red and processed meat and have produced a new publication entitled “Red Meat: Cutting Through the Confusion”.  This is the work of the Meat Advisory Panel (MAP) which is a group of independent (and more importantly impartial) expert dietitians, scientists, cancer specialists and GPs.

The panel reviewed all the evidence linking red meat with colorectal cancer and re-assessed the risks in terms of actual cases and how much red meat we should be eating. The booklet offers a clear overview of the WHO’s and other scientific research, an appraisal of the risks and also looks at the evidence surrounding meat avoidance.

The booklet will be of particular interest to meat processors and manufacturers who engage directly with the public as well as with retailers, and will provide clear, balanced information to contribute to their marketing and promotional activities.

You can download Red Meat: Cutting Through the Confusion, here