Processed meats in schools: putting children at risk for cancer
Processed Meats in Schools: Putting Children at Risk for Cancer (PDF;720 KB)
Source: The Cancer Project
Summary
Approximately 150,000 Americans will develop colon cancer or rectal cancer in 2008, according to the National Cancer Institute. Colorectal cancer, the fourth most common cancer, will kill nearly 50,000 people this year in the United States.
Consuming processed meats—including hot dogs, pepperoni, bacon, and deli meats—is a key risk factor for this disease, according to a comprehensive report released late last year by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund. After reviewing all existing data on nutrition and cancer risk, AICR scientists concluded that processed meats increase one’s risk of colorectal cancer by an average of 21 percent for every 50 grams of processed meat consumed daily. A 50-gram serving is approximately the size of a typical hot dog. Because research on processed meats shows cancer risk starts to increase with any portion, the AICR recommends avoiding such products.
As children return to school this fall, how many will be served processed meat products that increase their risk of colorectal cancer later in life? To determine the prevalence of processed meats in school meals, nutritionists with the Cancer Project analyzed lunch and breakfast menus at 29 large school districts in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Nutritionists evaluated one month’s worth of menus from each district. Menus were taken from the spring semester of 2008.
Findings
The Cancer Project’s analysis revealed that processed meats were served to children in every school district. However, considerable variation exists. Processed meats were relatively rare on menus in Denver and San Francisco. In other districts, processed meats were much more common. In Chicago, Columbus, and Clark County (Las Vegas), processed meats were found in a high percentage of school lunches. …
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