For a sane look at this study, read here

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2007/11/jfs-exclusive-whats-evidence-cancers.html

Muriel Hargrave, Winnipeg, Canada

So the lifestyle Puritans have finally gone all the way. We must all turn ourselves into emaciated ill-nourished vegetarians whose joyless lives are driven by fanatical exercising every day, with nary a beer or wineglass in sight and not even a regular vitamin. They forgot one thing however. Our genes. What if we have defective DNA? It could all be for nought. Ridiculous, the whole report.

David LaJuett, Silver Spring, MD, USA

Oh for Pete's sake. It's always something. First sugar was bad for you then eggs. Then sugar and eggs were okay. My best friend was not overweight. She didn't smoke or drink, do drugs or take any unnecessary chances like doing dangerous sports. She dieted and exercised her whole life. She died of breast cancer at age 49.

Thorn, Midwest, USA

"Dairy foods, cheese, butter, coffee and fish get a clean bill of health. But sugary drinks – including fruit juices – can increase weight and are therefore not recommended."

So fruit juice can increase weight whereas cheese does not?

How absurd.

CT, Haslemere,

So all my fellow females who are being told that "real women" are "curvy women" and lean women must be "anorexic" had better accept that the unhealthiness of curves is more "real" for women! I think not!

Vee, Oxfordshire, England

"The results were analysed by nine teams and then presented to a panel of twenty-one leading scientists for their recommendations."

How do you get the distinction of being a "leading scientist?" Is it because you are the best in your field? Or is it because your views fit an agenda?

And is there a more hackneyed phrase/sentence in these types of articles than "the results were presented to a panel of leading scientists?"

OH NO! We're in trouble! The Leading Scientists said so!

Roger Wilhelm, KC,

Is it just me, or is this obvious? Eating fatty, processed foods, too much meat, not enough vitamins, not excercising, and being overweight is bad for you. Well duh.

Marianne, London,

Would like to see numbers here rather than percents, and would really like to know how many people who pursue a perceived healthy lifestyle get said cancers – but more than anything else I’d like to see some balance & debate in the reporting of ‘research findings’. Invariably these days we have a very unhealthy attitude toward accepting such findings without challenge.

S. Cordon, Leics., UK

to defeat head and neck cancer widen the vaccine programme for HPV to include boys. research evidence is growing of the involvement of the HPV virus in mouth, tonsil and larynx cancers, so why limit the vaccine programme?

Jean Fraser, Newcastle, UK

The governement just need to tax offending food accordingly. They do it with smokers and drinkers. That way, those hell bent on preserving their right to be preserved by nitrates, will be paying more towards the need for more health care. No one's liberty is affected and those who want to take care of themselves won't be putting so much into the pot.

Anne, Coventry, UK

This is very bad "Science"

Take a subject that is an individual fear. Now make a charity WCRF that has a limited mission statement to only consider food and individual life choices. Make sure they can not consider any commercial poison, radiation, additives, origin issues etc.

Now use the proceeds of all those donations to meet twice a year for 4 years to read other people work.

Use the mission statement to narrow the field to just individual personal choices, making sure that you can not get any lawyers involved.

This is extortion, praying on fear, for no actual conclusions.

Neil , Bradford,

We can't eat fish, there aren't any. We can't eat vegetables because children think they taste nasty and there isn't enough space in this organic world. We can't eat chicken and turkey (see vegetables above). Red meat will give us cancer. Alcohol will kill us. Lack of alcohol will kill us. I would hide away at home, but more people die in the home than anywhere else. Help!!!

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

What are "pulses"? Are they to be avoided altogether, or just the mouldy variety?

Diana, Bakersfield, CA, USA

A very helpful study.
THANKYOU to all those involved.

BrummyDoug, Birmingham, England

Where's the mention of the numerous synthetic growth hormones, chemical preservatives, and re-hydration processes that go into the majority of our non-organic, pesticide-riddled, cramped-condition-grown meat?

Could that have something to do with it?

*Rolls eyes* Wake up, people!!

Erin, Brighton, UK,

Totally meaningless unless the increase in risk is quantified.

Will, London , UK

There is such a thing as scaring people to death. If you worry long enough about every bad thing you have eaten or done in life, you may suffer a heart attack and any worries about getting cancer may be rendered obsolete!

I think researchers should be funded for finding out what the impact of frequent bullying and health scares are, as I am convinced that our health is influenced by a healthy frame of mind, not only by what we eat.

IM, Hennef, Germany

The American Cancer Society recently discounted diet entirely with regard to breast cancer. They posited that exposure to environmental toxins was a precipitating factor; specifically they targeted PAH's (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) which are by-products of combustion. I imagine that all of the studies targeting diet have completely ignored exposure to woodsmoke: fireplaces, bonfires, barbecues, except in the link between "smoked" meat and increased risk of cancer. Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize in 1932 for his work which concluded that all cancer starts from a lack of oxygen. If there is smoke in the air, there is not enough oxygen. Perhaps this is too simple a conclusion for complicated minds to accept. How unfortunate.

mary giacoletti, San Simeon, California, USA

This is excellent advice, but it is essential to remember that while good eating habits are important, the real problem has to do with a much larger issue, our food supply. Toxins from within our bodies and toxins from our environment both contribute to obesity. Getting rid of these toxins slowly and boosting the natural detoxification system is an essential component of long-term weight loss and a healthy metabolism. These toxins become more concentrated, and tend to accumulate in high levels in tissues. What makes contaminants like organochlorines a serious problem for mammals is that they tend to have large stores of fat - Organochlorines dissolve into the fat and stay there until those fat reserves are needed as energy. During food shortages, mammals call on their reserves of fat, releasing the chemicals into their systems. A mother transfers a huge part of her chemical load to her suckling young. The important message is that there's a sub-lethal effect going on, lowering the resilience of the mammal during periods of food shortages.

Peg, Toronto, Ont ario, Canada

Why would big pharma want us to lose weight by eating properly and exercising? Why would they say smoked foods and excess alcohol are bad? In particular, they would prefer to have mothers us their formula than to breast feed!

You are right that scientists need to be vigilant, but these are respected studies from good journals. Show some respect for professionals.

Joanna, Edinburgh,

Glenda from Malta - THANK YOU.

I've got a bump on my head from repeatedly banging it against a brick wall trying to educate people on these things.

Glad to see I'm not the only one trying.

Erin, Worthing, West Sussex, UK

Being fat is a very complicated issue. You can be fat on the outside or fat on the inside and appear to be skinny and healthy. A persons diet should be a well balanced diet of ALL whole foods. No trans-fats or artificial high-fructose corn syrup in the diet; most of these diseases strongly correlate the consumption of just these two food additives. I would like to see a study done by persons who have NO financial, or religiosity attached. In other words a study done by a completely neutral group. Humans are omnivores. Moderation is the healthiest way of life. http://www.InteliOrg.com/

Dr Coles, Los Angeles, USA

It looks to me as though those people who advocated 'The Cave Man Diet'' were not so very far from the norm. I suppose that, for cave 'persons' , as farming became the vogue it might have been difficult to avoid the mouldy grain. But then I also suppose that a likely death age of +/- 40 would have altered their statistics as well - ?

vivienne Hill, elgin, Scotland

Life expentacy is on the rise and has been since modern practices have been used in food so will the people banging on about organic this and processed that. stop saying it needs cutting out. Secondly has this increase in life expectancy come from our improved diet over the last 50 years quite possibly as well as better medical care.

Colin, Southampton,

‘Pleease!!’ Who funds these so called research programs? It is probably a rhetorical question and the answer is a research institute funded by money from Big Pharma, or, a government funded institute (it does not matter which government) which used to operate under the rather quaint description of a ‘Quango’.

Yes, it s the responsibility of the individual to look after their health; insofar as they can, considering the additives, pesticides, and dubious chemical compounds in practically everything we eat and drink. Try Aspartame in ever diet soda or reduced calorie drink or sweet. Then there is fluoride, an unwanted by-product of Aluminium, which is gratuitously added to drinking water.

Most of all consider the stratospheric increase in cancer and diabetes in the second half of the 20th Century and to date. Please listen to Leuren Moret a renowned Geoscientist on Nuclear testing between 1945 and 1963;-

“The atomicity equivalent (equal number of radioactive atoms) of radiation released during atmospheric testing was 40,000 Hiroshima bombs which led to a global cancer epidemic—just the tip of the iceberg, and at the bottom of the list of free radical diseases caused by internal low level radiation exposure. Dr. Rosalie Bertell has estimated that 1.3 billion people have been killed, maimed, and diseased by the nuclear weapons and nuclear power programmes” Planet Earth As Weapon and Target LEUREN MORET World Affairs, The Journal of International Issues v.9, n.4, Winter 2005

You can Google her to find her credentials and a lot of other articles.

After that, if you have the stomach for it, try also www.educate-yourself.org and look up Depleted Uranium. The article headed ‘The Greatest Crime of Historic Time’ sums it up quite nicely.

Glenda, Gozo, Malta

A crucial factor omitted from in the news coverage of this study is the genetic predisposition for the various cancers in question. No doubt, the dietary guidelines emerging from the study will have a significant effect on reducing cancer rates among those who are genetically primed to develop the disease, However, for rest of the population, I would be interested to know, for example, whether the mortality rates attributed to the half-dozen cancers identified by the study would be, if at all, only marginally influenced by cutting out processed meat, etc.

Lawrence Normie, Jerusalem, Israel

A crucial factor omitted from in the news coverage of this study is the genetic predisposition for the various cancers in question. No doubt, the dietary guidelines emerging from the study will have a significant effect on reducing cancer rates among those who are genetically primed to develop the disease, However, for rest of the population, I would be interested to know, for example, whether the mortality rates attributed to the half-dozen cancers identified by the study would be, if at all, only marginally influenced by cutting out processed meat, etc.

Lawrence Normie, Jerusalem, Israel

"Chris Lamb, consumer marketing manager at the British Pig Executive..."

How funny is this?

Paulina, London, UK

It all sounds very 'concrete' except when you actually know many young, slim, 'healthy' people who have died of cancer. And, conversely, many people who aren't slim, don't eat healthily, and who haven't contracted cancer. A study over 21 years is not really of a large enough scope is it?

Steve Blood, London,

It seems remarkably convenient that at a time when the media & government is fascinated by the 'obesity crisis' we get headlines implying 'BAD FOOD MIGHT GIVE YOU CANCER'.

Matt Rayner, Uxbridge,

Nearly every day there is a new view on which foods contirbute to cancer. Now we are informed it's best to be on the underside of a healthy wieght and basically refrain from eating almost everything we enjoy. What are we creating here? A healthy world of annorexics. When will it end?

Julia, London,

Why the particular concern now about ham and bacon? I'd be very interested to hear whether traditional cured products are safe and modern chemical techniques are the problem.

Rosemary, Stanford-le-Hope, UK

I'd be interested to know what it is about red meat that increases the risks of cancer. Hormones? What? And what kind of cancer?
Also, Alistair from Birmingham: very good point - the only indication that any of these is a substantial effect is Sir Marmot's "shock" at finding that weight was so important. Is Sir Marmot easily shocked, perhaps?

Juulia, London, UK

This country is turning into a facist state. If they're so worried about processed and red meat, then ban intensive farming that pumps these animals full of steriods and growth promoters. Eat naturally.................??

Claire Yates, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs

I am sick to death of being preached at. If you watch telly or read papers you can hardly avoid seeing these reports.
I am an adult person and I think I have as good a grasp as anybody about what to eat and drink. Most of the scare mongering hype is put out by publicity seeking universities and research institutes paid obscene amounts of money by the government who are desparate to convince us they are concerned about us. I will continue to eat and drink whatever I like in moderation and if it kills me so be it at least I will have enjoyed my life and my food. and while I'm on the subject, obesity is not a disease and does not need government intervention.

H Myrie, London,

Certainly I believe there to be a difference between cheap processed meats and the sort of rubbish you find in the freezer. On the other hand, this sounds like yet another scare story and is dependent on not exercising, stress and other factors.
Live and be merry. The surest route to a happy life.

Richard, Norwich,

Ash, you'll be wanting to see 61 when you're 60...

Nadia Ahmad, Sutton,

Are there really a large number of people tucking into 'mouldy cereal' every day ? Personally I avoid mouldy food but perhaps I'm unusual. Mouldy cereal eaters, please enlighten me !

Nick Burrage, London, UK

It's about time we had another good, old fashioned, hysterical, health scare, it's been at least five minutes since the last panic. The funding is particularly alarming.

Mark Lyndon, London, UK

Pardon me but where has smoking gone in all of this?
As lung cancer is the most common of all cancers, and 90% of lung cancers are caused by smoking - in fact more women now have lung cancer than have breast cancer - shouldn't it at least have had a mention, or been listed in the ways to prevent cancer???

CA, Manchester, UK

Its academic. Global warming will kill most of us before we get a chance to develop cancer. For those of us not wiped out by global warming, bird flu is bound to come calling. Then of course, for all those who have avoided bird flu, there's the near certainty of getting killed by immigrants. Anyone left will most probably top themselves after excessive speeding fines.

Tom, London,

With the chance of getting each of these types of cancer being what, and increasing the risk of each of these to what? If my chance of getting cancer is 1 in 100,000 and by eating red meat I increase this to 1 in 90,000 I shan't be too bothered.

Alistair Kipling, Birmingham,

The timing could not be better for cutting EU subsidies on meat and sugar?

Hugo Pottisch, San Mateo, US

So many articles told us what to eat or what to do ,but who will tell us how to enjoy our lives for the varied food is also one improtant aspect? confused.

delia, xi'an, China

Cancer is complicated and certainly not just about diet. But obviously, some food catalyzes cancer. So if you want to live longer, be aware of your diet and habits.

yao, hongkong, china

It's simple.
1. Burn as many calories as you eat. If you do at least that then you wont be overweight!, In general, every handfull of food is about 200 calories. 10 handfulls a day should do anyone. (regardless of height, and width!)
2. Eat food as close to its natural state as possible! Processing takes out all the goodness and leaves you with the flab energy! Ever seen a fat Gorilla? They eat natural food pretty much all day long.
3. Biggest secret of all: drink at least 1.5 litres (about 3 pints to you Brits) of water (doesnt have to be designer!) a day!

Rainer, Limerick, Ireland

"avoid mouldy cereals or pulses".......Ok

Mike, Berlin,

Avoid Red meat? What and miss out on all that Mad cow, foot and mouth and Blue tongue disease, ….are you Mad.
And don’t forget that Bird flu riddled Christmas Turkey.......Boootifull

Mike, Berlin,

No matter what it is, there is always some overpaid expert telling us not to do this or not to do that.
Here's the result of my observation, taking any notice of the food police can seriously harm your health.

One moment we are all descended from meat eating cave men (which we aren't) and then red meat is bad for us.

Maybe we should consider all the garbage they put in food today. Many of the chemicals stay in the body and build up with the passing of time. Maybe fewer chemicals and just maybe obesity, cancer andf many other health and mental problems might decrease.

Peter Hodge, Skelmersdale, England

The key idea is moderation. Instead of taking an extreme approach, the main emphasis should be to encourage eating habits that incorporate good nutritional sense and physical exercise at least 4 times week. It's really about getting people to understand that they can enjoy a sense of well-being for the duration of their lives, and live without any or minimal medication with a bit of care and effort.

Stella Navaratnam, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Why is everyone so negative about this advice? It's only advice. And good advice at that! Nobody's demanding that you eat helathy and exercise in order to avoid a slow and painful death and spare your loved ones the agony of having to watch you waste away and die before their eyes. I'm sure the experts who've analysed the thousands of studies over forty years don't really care if you continue to be fooled by the glamorous and glitzy advertising of fast food chains, "soft" drinks manufacturers and producers of processed microwaveable meals. They're probably not bothered, either, if you lollop home from a hard day at the office, crack open half a dozen beers and plant your behind in front of the TV, to be taken in by more of the glamorous and glitzy ads you so love.

WISE UP people! It's ADVICE! Nobody's trying to create a new master race here!

Barry, Derry, Ireland

Long on prescription, short on explanation.

Tom, Bristol,

Reading the responses is in this list it is clear that the UK and probably most of the western world do have a problem. The only thing that will help most of these people is a doctor saying to them "you have cancer, you will die if you don't have this treatement ... urgently." I have just been through this treatment over the last 6 months and my diet has now changed radically. I do want to attack the cancer so I will do something myself, with my diet. Living is not having excessive amounts of red meat and alcohol (thats right folks.... there's more to life!). I have a 3 year old and a five year old who I desperately want to see grow up and have children. Yes I want to live long.

Murray Anderson, Christchurch, New Zealand

Quote: "For THOSE of us wanting to lower our risk of developing cancer, it provides practical lifestyle recommendations.” [emphasis added].

All you people complaining about these findings: Why even bother? No one forces you to: a) read the article in the first place and b) follow its recommendations.

As non-scientists you should understand that a study like this is designed to gather the factual knowledge between cause and effect, draw conclusions and compile them into comprehensive recommendations that make sense to everyone. Not more an not less. This is not some type of government agency telling you how to live your life. These are RECOMMENDATIONS!

Sebastian, Perth,

Why do people consistently drag out that ridiculous argument of "i'm not changing, because I could get hit by a bus tomorrow". It is an absurd, untrue analogy. Look left and right thoroughly when crossing the road, cross when there is no traffic and you simply WILL NOT be hit by a bus. It is a 99.999999999999% certainty. Alas such certainty is not available for the prevention of illness.

Michael Sampson, Sydney, Australia

Yeah,yeah. Eat your oily fish and drink your mineral water and die at 105 in the best of health with Professor Sir Whosat Wossname (109) of the Cancer Research Fund sitting up in the next bed mumbling and dribbling. Nice to have something to look forward to isn't it.

eric campbell, harrogate, uk

There would be no point to living if we all follwed this. We read so many reports on what increases our risk of cancer, heart disease and so many other potential ailments, that is is impossible to know what to eat or do. Never turn right or you'll have to cross the road and the risk of getting spattered by a No 7 bus is just too great.

Each to their own, I'll keep eating exactly what I want, I'll exercise and continue to play sport, even though my joints are completely buggered from scrummaging in the winter and bowling in the summer.

Though I must say Bacon caused the premature death of my brother, greedy sod stole my bacon sandwich when we were kids so beat him to death with my toy bus

Reports like this keep the general public scared witless.

Michael Holloway, Sydney, Australia/ NSW

Ms Rudder, with respect, wait until the next 'findings'. Before you become holyer than thou, question my grandparents who are 'slim' 'look young' etc and have enjoyed every aspect of life, (red meat, alcohol, etc.) in moderation and are both 85 years old.

nonplussed, london,

Well said Ash!

I eat red meat, I drink alcohol (gave up smoking 2 years ago). I go to the gym about 5 times a week and also enjoy walking, swimming, play rugby and generally I am very fit and healthy.

According to the "experts", I am nearing obesity as I am 6 feet in height but weigh 14.5 stones

I will give up red meat, alcohol and lose 5 stone when the politicians or experts look like the Aryans they demand we all look like!

A Thorn, London,

I have an excellent option...just stop living and you'll never have cancer.

Not that I ever eat meat or drink lots of alcohol, but the point is, why the hell is everybody so worried about living very very long life. A smart man once said 'Life should be big not long'. 60 years is good enough for me. Thank you.

ash, guildford, Surrey

For years Gabriel Cousens has promoted a plant food diet at his tree of life. There his research has shown the toxins that have accumulated in the body over a period of years.
Most meats are full of growth hormones that people absorb. If we eat a Mother Nature nutritional diet then cancers can be reduced significantly. The age of the fast food cooked by micro oven because we don't have time have brought some nearer their time.

ARTHUR BROCKLEBANK, Cheshire, England

I believe a much more in-depth and statistically reliable study concluded that just being alive is the major contributing factor for death - at any age and from any ailment

Gerry, Faro, Portugal

It's interesting to note that "the panel agreed that the [recommended daily alcohol] levels set for minimum heart risk should be accepted." In this country we'll do absolutely anything for our health and beauty except give up alcohol. Very sad.

That said, no doubt we'll be presented with another "in-depth" study next month, revealing that eating bacon lowers your risk of bowel cancer by a third. Absolute poppycock, the whole thing.

Peter, Hartlepool,

My grandfather, who was a farm labourer during & after the first world war lived on fat bacon & boiled cabbage. This diet took 98 years to kill him. He died of old age, not cancer!

Michael Carrigan, Weymouth, England

Nothing new here, Bible tells us not to eat pigs.

Farrukh, Woking, UK

A life without bacon and booze. Well, it will certainly seem longer....

Dave, Reading, UK

Blimey !

robert everitt, wolverhampton,

Excellent analysis!
Cathryn F. Brower RN MS
Cambridge MA
USA

Cathryn Brower, New Bedford , MA USA

Now thats such a good news for me who is a vegetarian and a non alcoholic.

Presh, Wadebridge Cornwall,

"Mouldy cereals"??? Who the heck would eat THEM, unless they were starving?
I bet the Danish pig farmers are hopping mad. The bottom will fall out of the market for bacon in the UK!
"Foods of plant origin" - does that mean GM foods will be given the all-clear?
As a bloke, can I please do some breastfeeding?
I could go on, bit it just gets dafter by the minute. And, sorry, this maniacal pursuit of perfect health is not funny any more. If we avoid all cancers, what WILL we die of? Dementia, no doubt - driven stark staring mad by "health research findings"...

JF, Canterbury , UK

what are mouldy cereals?

millie, chigwell,

It must be a real downer if you are an underweight vegetarian who never smokes, drinks or has unprotected sex and then dies of cancer. Mind you if you do identify with the above you probably are dead anyway.

Doug George, Antibes, France

Great news!!! I am a ten+ year metastatic breast cancer survivor, tall (5'9"), thin (133lbs). Crossing fingers and seeing my doctor yearly, eating lots of yogurt and drinking an occasional glass of chardonney...

Debra Schell, Trabuco Cyn, CA

The problem with ham, bacon, salami ar the carcinogenic nitrites. Go for the salt only preserved meats.

Ben Parish, London, Kent

Do Jews not get cancer

max buckley, oldham, lanc,s

A smokey bacon sarnie is one of the pleasures of life.

Norm, Newcastle, UK

As to the 10 recommendations, "Limit consumption of salt and avoid mouldy cereals or pulses" Is that a mistake or am I missing something?

As for lunchmeat and being thin, I've been on Atkins for years and am still 30 lbs lighter than I was 7 years ago. (And yes, my BMI is below 25.) But I eat a ton of bacon, processed lunchmeat and red meat. What does that say about my risk?

slickman, albany, ny

This is the reason why the Bible and the Quran do not allow it!

liz, Birmingham, UK

This is all good advice, but I'm sure it's likely to cause as much of a backlash as a change in people's lifestyles. Fundamentally what the authors (and to a very large degree the press and espeically the BBC) is that we have real difficulty in understanding the difference between a hazard and a risk.

Smoked meat is a hazard, and eating too much of it hugely increases your risk of cancer. Similarly smoke is a hazard, and smoking raises the risk stupendously. But... we don't function at that level, we kid ourselves into believing we will be OK, and just an extra slice of cake or pie will be OK.

Ask your readers how many play the national lottery, yet statistically they are more likely to die from falling out of bed, or being hit by a meteorite- will anybody change their national lottery habit!?!?!

Two pieces of rational advice that should have been made clear from all the articles:

1. Moderation in all things
2. (And thanks to Billy Connelly) Eat less, move more

MGB, Carmarthen, Wales

So what are we trying to achieve here? Live forever? We are all going to die eventually, the only variable is the timing.

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Japan

Strange, it was only because my wife stopped breastfeeding that we discovered a lump in her breast which was cancerous!

Miek Face, London, UK

Having been vegetarian for 30 years i agree with the new findings about diet concerning cancer. Both my husbands parents had bowl cancer dying young so this was the reason we both became vegetarians ,plus our concern for animals and their treatment . We have good health and are repeatedly told we look very young slim 70 year olds .

Cathleen Rudder, Nottingham, Britain

Why would you want to consume mouldy cereals or pulses?!

Sally, london,