Does eating less red meat lower your risk of cancer?

Colorectal cancer is the cancer type for which the link with red meat is most clearly established. People who eat a lot of red meat have a 15 to 22% higher risk of colorectal cancer than people who eat little of it. For processed meat (sausage, ham, bacon) that figure is even 13 to 21%. The World Health Organization has officially classified processed meat as carcinogenic to humans, primarily on the basis of this colorectal cancer link.

There are also indications of an elevated risk of lung cancer, uterine cancer, and liver cancer with high consumption of red meat, with estimates ranging from 22 to 26% higher risk. This evidence is less extensive than for colorectal cancer, and in the case of lung cancer it is difficult to fully rule out the role of smoking.

For breast cancer the picture is mixed. Some studies observe an elevated risk with red meat, but one large study found no association at all. Processed meat appears to specifically raise the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer somewhat (6 to 21%), but here too studies do not fully agree with one another.

A broad umbrella study of 72 meta-analyses concludes that high consumption of red and processed meat is also associated with higher overall cancer mortality. All of the associations mentioned are associative: people who eat a lot of meat also more often live differently in other ways (more smoking, fewer vegetables, less physical activity). This makes it difficult to isolate the effect of meat alone.

International prevention guidelines recommend reducing red and processed meat consumption. Epidemiological research estimates that roughly half of the risk of colorectal cancer can be influenced through lifestyle and diet. Eating less meat therefore lowers your risk, but never provides a guarantee.