Processed news? Media hams up cancer story

It amuses me no end when you see flashy headlines like:

KILLER SANDWICH: HAM LINKED TO CANCER

My own reading and a basic amount of research and you discover the journalist is somewhat misleading the readers.

In this case, reporter Bronwyn Herbert has taken the smallest glint of a 'fact' to create a sensationalised story.

Let's take a look though at what the story says:
"There's convincing scientific evidence linking the consumption of processed meats like ham, salami and bacon to an increase in bowel cancer risk."

Although:

"Researchers aren't yet entirely sure themselves and are still trying to figure out the actual mechanisms, but ... what we think is the process of processing and the things that are added to typically red meat, say for example when things are cured or salted or with the addition of chemical preservatives, lead to the development of cancer. But what we are clear on is that people who consume processed meat are at a greater risk of developing bowel cancer."

So let's consult the SOURCE material, which can be found here.

What is processed meat? Well this excerpt shows that: "there is no generally agreed definition of processed meat". Fair enough I guess.

But there is a pretty table, which shows exactly what increases the risk of cancer, so let's look at that as well shall we?




At this point I hear you scream -- BUT THERE MUST BE EVIDENCE MCTAVISH! SHOW US THE EVIDENCE!

Well here it is, only thing is though it is limited evidence, but is that enough to kill this story?
No of course not. But could this all be down to maybe excess in our life? Too much of a good thing is never...well...a good thing. So could this be linked to obesity, over eating...well yes. In fact it could be and probably is. It even tells you where to look...

But to finish this off, let me show you another table, here, look it shows pretty pictures of colorectal cancer cases but just check out the highlighted section, there in red.



So are they actually saying that too much meat is not good and that excess is bad? I don't know anymore.

Oh and if you want to check out the meat industry's response to it, well, it's there in the story, but you can check out a response to claims that arose in 2008 that red meat gives you cancer.

Hang on -- May 2008? What's going on here? Isn't this breaking news?

Oh no it's not, they also point out today on their website that: "This is the same recycled report they have been re-issuing for the last 18 months. There is nothing new in it whatsoever" and that it is "based on old research that has already been countered."

Is that true?

Well the Food Standards Agency in Great Britain seem to think so issuing their own advice, which dismisses the story.

But what about the name dropped by the meat industry in the original story, the mysterious research done in the United States by a certain Dr Dominic Alexander who "found in fact there is no statistical association between the two."

Well, we tracked their report, or a summary of the report to here.

The company he works for is a company called Exponent, who seem completely legit having worked on a plethora of high profile cases.

Dr Alexander well he has done a bit when it comes to working with meat and health. Don't take my word for it though, you can read his profile here.

The company also did some amazing research that locked kids in the trunks of cars. Genius idea lads keep it up.

So in summary Bronwyn Herbert, your story is BOLLOCKS. Although the last quote of the story should have been elevated to the top if you ask me:

"You know you don't see people dropping dead all over the place in Italy. They're going for the salami, there's no national crisis there," an anonymous customer said.