<'육류 암위험↑' 확인...안전한 섭취량은?>
연합뉴스 | 하채림 | 입력 2011.05.23 15:50 |
세계암연구기금 “육류 주당 500g 이내, 가공육은 피하라”
(서울=연합뉴스) 하채림 기자 = 최근 3~4년간 육류와 햄 등 가공육 소비량과 대장암 사이에 관련이 있다는 연구 결과가 다양하게 발표되면서 육류 섭취량을 줄여야 한다는 인식이 널리 확산됐다.
하지만 채식주의자가 아니고서야 아예 안 먹을 수는 없는 일. 고기 섭취량을 어느 정도로 유지하면 암도 예방하고 영양도 고루 섭취할 수 있을까.
세계암연구기금(WCRF)은 대장암 위험을 줄이려면 쇠고기와 돼지고기 등 살코기가 붉은 육류의 섭취량을 주당 500g(조리 이후 중량) 이내로 줄이고 가공육 섭취는 피하라고 권고했다고 영국 일간 가디언이 23일 보도했다.
WCRF가 런던 임페리얼대학 연구진에 의뢰해 식생활과 체중, 운동량이 대장암에 미치는 영향에 관한 기존의 논문 263건을 종합 분석한 결과 육류 및 가공육이 대장암을 높이는 것으로 확인됐다.
지난 2007년 WCRF가 육류 과잉 섭취의 발암성 문제를 제기한 이래 전 세계적으로 육류와 암, 그중에서도 대장암과 관련성에 대한 다양한 연구가 진행됐으며 이번 보고서는 그간 발표된 여러 결과를 통합 분석한 것이다.
이번 연구는 육류 섭취와 대장암의 연관성에 더 힘을 실어주는 결과라고 신문은 설명했다.
영국에서 매년 3만6천명이 대장암 진단을 받고, 연간 1만6천500명이 이 병으로 사망한다. 대장암은 영국에서 폐암에 이어 사망원인 2위에 해당하는 암이다.
WCRF는 영국인이 육류와 알코올은 줄이고 식이섬유 섭취량을 늘리는 식생활을 하고, 적당한 운동으로 알맞은 체중을 유지하면 대장암 발생 인원을 매년 1만7천명(43%)이나 줄일 수 있다고 추정했다.
육류 및 가공육 소비에 대한 우려가 확산되자 앞서 지난 2월 영국 정부는 처음으로 육류 섭취량을 제한하라고 소비자들에게 조언했다.
당시 정부는 자문기구인 영양과학자문위원회(SCAN)의 권고에 따라 일일 육류 섭취량이 하루 90g 이상인 경우 영국인 평균인 70g으로 낮추라고 안내했다.
(끝)
===================================
Red and processed meats ‘confirmed’ to increase risk of bowel cancer: Report
A new report from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) recommends limiting red meat consumption and completely avoiding processed meats, and ‘confirms’ that red and processed meats increase risk of bowel cancer.
The report, referred to by the WCRF as “the most authoritative ever report on bowel cancer risk”, examined the links between bowel cancer risk and diet, physical activity and weight, concluding that intake of red meats should be limited to 500 grams per week, whilst processed meats should be avoided altogether.
“Our review has found strong evidence that many cases of bowel cancer are not inevitable and that people can significantly reduce their risk by making changes to their diet and lifestyle,” said Professor Alan Jackson, chair of the WCRF Expert Panel.
“On meat, the clear message that comes out of our report is that red and processed meat increase risk of bowel cancer and that people who want to reduce their risk should consider cutting down the amount they eat,” he added.
Red meat and cancer
Lots of attention – and headlines – have been dedicated to the health risks said to be associated with consumption of red meat.
High consumption has been associated with many poor health outcomes , including diabetes , cardiovascular disease and several types of cancer (including lung and colorectal , prostate , and bladder )
In 2007 the World Cancer Research Fund published a report that directly linked diet to cancer, reporting that red and processed meats posing particular risks. However, analysis of data from over a half million people in Europe, as part of the EPIC study, recently found no association between dietary intakes of red meat and the risk of bladder cancer (EPIC study previously reported here ).
The new WCRF report is part of its Continuous Update Project (CUP), which aims to update previous advice in reports based on new evidence. The findings are based on a systematic review of the evidence carried out by WCRF/AICR-funded scientists at Imperial College London. They added 263 new papers on bowel cancer to the 749 that were analysed as part of the 2007 Report.
Meat benefits
The report follows recently published research from the British Nutrition Foundation which considered the nutritional value of meat, and its contribution to intakes of essential nutrients. The review looked at data on current red meat consumption in the UK and the contribution this makes to nutrient intakes,highlighting the nutritional benefits of eating red meats in moderation. (Nutrition Bulletin, Vol 36, Issue 1, Pages 34–77, March 2011).
Dr Laura Wyness, senior nutrition scientist with the BNF, told FoodNavigator that their review “concluded that moderate intakes of lean red meat can play an important part in a healthy balanced diet.
“Meat contributes protein, unsaturated fatty acids including omega 3s and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin D and vitamins B3 and B12. Some of these are already in short supply in the diets of some sections of the population,” she said.
However, the report also went on to state that, in line with current dietary advice, the average intakes of red and processed meat should not rise.
Report details
The WCRF/AICR said recommended that people “limit consumption to 500g (cooked weight) of red meat a week … and avoid processed meat.”
The advice was given after the reporting panel “confirmed that there is convincing evidence that both red and processed meat increase bowel cancer risk.” They added that consumption of an extra 100 grams of red meat per day could increase the bowel cancer risk by 17 per cent.
The review panel has also reassessed its view on the protective role of fibre, adding that the protection against bowel cancer afforded by eating foods containing fibre, such as wholegrains, pulses, fruit and vegetables is now “convincing”.
The panel also concluded that milk, garlic, and dietary supplements containing calcium, “probably” reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer.
They said that the conclusions on fibre were made after adding seven more studies to the existing eight from the 2007 Report. The result was that the evidence “became much more consistent.”
“There has been a lot of debate over the last few years about the strength of evidence that red and processed meat increase risk of cancer. We hope our review can help give clarity to those people who are still confused about the strength of the evidence,” said Prof. Jackson.
