Processed meats linked with premature deaths

Processed meats have been linked with an increased risk of dying young, following a Europe wide survey.

Researchers writing in the journal BMC Medical said that diets high in processed meats including burgers, bacon and sausages were linked to cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Using data from almost half a million people in 10 countries in Europe, including the UK, the researchers found that those who ate most processed meat were 44% more likely to die prematurely. They found that high processed meat consumption increased the risk of heart diease by 72% and cancer by 11%.

The researchers estimated that by eating no more than 20g of processed meat a day, amounting to a rasher of bacon or thin sausage, then 3% of all premature deaths could be avoided.

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