According to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition the types of meats you choose in your diet could affect your risk for developing bladder cancer.
The study gathered information on more than 135,000 men and women who were enrolled in the Nurse's Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The mean follow-up period was about 20 years and during that time about 0.5% or 808 enrollees developed bladder cancer.
The research focused on meat consumption including types of meat, method of preparation (cooking), amount, and frequency.
There was no relationship between the amount of meat consumed and the incidence of bladder cancer. However, both bacon and skinless chicken were associated with increased risk.
Individuals who ate bacon at least five times a week were almost 60 percent more likely to develop bladder cancer that those person who never ate bacon. The primary reason for this is believed to be chemicals called nitrosamines or nitrates which are used to cure the meat, and also give bacon its distinct flavor.
The consumption of skinless chicken also increased risk when compared to eating chicken with its skin on. Individuals who regularly ate skinless chicken had 52 percent increase in bladder cancer risk. This is believed to be due to heterocyclic amines that form in the meat when cooked at high temperatures. Cooking over an open grill such as with barbeques increases these compounds.
Both nitrosamines and heterocyclic amines are known carcinogens that are absorbed into the body and eliminated in the urine. They may concentrate in the urine and settle in the bladder causing changes to the cells that line that organ.
The findings were alarming, but need to be followed up with more clinical research trials to determine how significant the risk truely is.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on December 11, 2006 01:18 PM
