Should+we+be+eating+meat+in+2013?

Tutor: Judith Meiklejohn
** Artefact ** 'Recent stud y reveals too much red meat shortens life’. This is the headline on the artefact I have chosen. From the cartoon you can see the overweight man is scared of a piece of meat. It also shows other lifestyle factors that influence the man’s life, i.e. smoking, junk food, medications and alcohol, although he doesn’t appear to be scared of those.

** Public Health Issue ** Recent studies have left many people asking the question, is it safe to eat meat?

The above artefact represents how recent studies have revealed an over-consumption of meat can lead to cancer, illnesses and deaths. Although what the cartoon doesn’t represent is that it is unlikely that meat consumption alone is solely responsible for the development of cancer and other illnesses as other modifiable lifestyle factors play an important part in overall health and well-being (McAfee et al., 2010).

Without the consumption of meat many groups such as infants, children, women (particularly when pregnant) and the elderly will miss out on the many health benefits from consuming meat.

** Literature Review ** Cancer Australia (2013), reported that in 2009, the risk of developing cancer before the age of 85 years was one in two in men and one in three in women. From the graph below you can see, bowel cancer was the second highest diagnosed cancer in Australia in 2012 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), 2013). // Estimated 10 most commonly diagnosed cancers, Australia, 2012 // In 2010, 42,844 deaths due to cancer, accounted for three out of every ten deaths (Cancer Australia, 2013). In the same year, bowel cancer accounted for the second highest cause of cancer death in Australia (AIHW, 2013).

// 10 most common causes of death from cancer, Australia, 2010 //

By 2012, cancer was estimated to be the leading cause of burden of disease in Australia, accounting for approximately 19 per cent of the total disease burden (Cancer Australia, 2013).

So what do all these statistics mean? And how does the consumption of meat and bowel cancer relate?

There are many reports and studies examining the relationship between meat consumption and the risk of cancer, especially bowel (also known as colorectal) cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has found evidence that consuming meat is convincingly associated with an increased risk of bowel cancer (Cancer Council Australia, 2009).

Bowel cancer is a malignant growth that develops most commonly in the lining of the large bowel. If tiny growths (called ‘polyps’) are not removed they can become cancerous, which narrows and blocks the bowel (Bowel Cancer Australia, 2010). Meat and meat products can have a negative effect on human health; this is due to the elements found in meat, which under certain circumstances and inappropriate proportions, i.e. high levels of intake, can lead to health issues such as bowel cancer (Jiménez-Colmenero, Carballo, & Cofrades, 2001).

Ferguson (2010) and Corpet (2011), describes the link between meat consumption and bowel cancer being due to:
 * High-fat intake which promotes carcinogenesis
 * Production of heterocyclic amines (HCA’s) during high temperature cooking, including grilling, frying and barbecuing for extended periods of time
 * Formation of N-nitroso compounds (NOCs) within meat, and
 * Haem iron promoting an increase in cell proliferation

Luciano (2009) explains how carcinogenic effects can damage DNA which can lead to mutations of cells and the development of cancer. However, the role of iron from meat is vital in the diet as it is the major carrier of oxygen within the blood stream and muscles (Luciano, 2009).

Current studies have not been without controversy. This is because it is difficult to separate the role of one food and its effects on the human body, as other eating and lifestyle patterns (fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity levels, body mass index and genetics) cannot be eliminated (Cancer Council Australia, 2009). Many studies have not examined meat and processed meat (i.e. sausages, salami, bacon etc) separately. Studies have shown vegetarians have better health as they eat more fruits and vegetables and participate in higher levels of physical activity (Luciano, 2009). Although examining the relationship between omnivores and vegetarians/vegans is difficult as you can’t compare a different lifestyle to a single dietary difference.

Good health and well-being requires a variety of food to ensure essential vitamins and minerals are consumed. No single food can provide all of these for human health. There are many bio-active compounds in fruits, vegetables and meat which are responsible for supplying the body with anticancer compounds and antioxidants (Australian Food and Grocery Council, 2010).

Economic globalisation together with urbanisation has resulted in the homogenisation of food supplies, increased intake of vegetable oils, ‘fast food’, sugary drinks and often alcoholic drinks, meat and meat products, and a reduction in the intake of whole grains, fibre, pulses (legumes), vegetables, and fruits (World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), 2009). These factors directly and/or indirectly increase the risk of a number of common cancers, as per the below table.

// 2007 WCRF/AICR Diet and Cancer Report, displays the Panel’s most confident judgements on the strength of the evidence causally relating food, nutrition, and physical activity with the risk of cancer. //

The risk of cancer is crucially affected by the ways in which people live, which in turn are shaped by their economic, social, and environmental circumstances. It has been shown, that people who have grown up within a particular culture, whether one in which meals are based on rice or on meat, do not change their habits simply because of health advice (WCRF, 2009).

Health and wellbeing is affected by many factors, and those that are associated with ill health, disability, disease or death are known as risk factors. Risk factors do not operate in isolation. They often coexist and interact with one another (AIHW, 2013). Approximately 80% of colon cancer cases are thought to be caused by modifiable diet and lifestyle factors (McAfee et al., 2010). Therefore, prevention of cancer can be assisted by appropriate food and nutrition, regular physical activity, and healthy body weight (WCRF, 2009).

Although there is some evidence in relation to meat and cancer, the Cancer Council recognises lean meat is essential for health and wellbeing and can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. They do however recommend people consume 500g of lean meat per week (Cancer Council Australia, 2009). Recommending ‘grams’ is more appropriate than ‘servings’ as many adults eat meat in larger portion sizes than the standard serve sizes.

The National Dietary Survey found 30% of women had iron intakes of less than 70% of the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI); yet women have been shown to be the ones who have followed the recommendation to reduce their meat intake ( Mann, 2000). This is supported by Eat for Health (2013), which says children and young women may need to increase their intake of lean meat, but most Australian men eat more meat than is recommended and would benefit from reducing their intake.

Eliminating meat is not the only way to reduce the risk; the following approaches to reduce the cancer causing risk of meat include (Ferguson, 2010):
 * Changing the breeding practices and trimming various cuts of meat
 * Not cooking meat at high temperatures and increasing intake of fruits, vegetables and cereal
 * High intake of vitamin C to inhibit the formation of NOC
 * Check iron levels and adjust the diet accordingly

** Cultural & Social Analysis ** According to the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), the term ‘red meat’ is used by the meat industry to refer to meat from cattle, sheep and goat (i.e. beef, veal, lamb, mutton and goat meat) (Williams, 2007).

Lean red meat provides a good source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, phosphorus, zinc, folate and iron. The table below outlines the average nutrient composition of lean meat, where 100g provides more than 25% RDI of the above nutrients (Williams, 2007).

Protein is involved in the growth and repair of cells. Iron is an essential mineral required for the formation of haemoglobin. And can be an important food, especially for some groups including infants, children, women (particularly when pregnant), elderly and athletes. Zinc assists in maintaining the immune system and is present in many tissues. Vitamin B12 is involved in the formation of red blood cells and plays a vital role in the synthesis of DNA. And is found in high levels among animal-based products and not found in plant food (Eat for Health, 2013).

Protein sources consumed by vegetarians have different nutritional profiles from red meat. In particular, zinc requirements are said to be up to 50% higher for vegetarians than omnivores as the absorption of zinc from animal protein is greater than from plant foods (Williams, 2007).

Biesalski (2005) argues that although the risk of cancer can result from a folate deficient diet, generally said to be due to a low intake of fruit and vegetables, folate from meat is more bio-available than fruits and vegetables, therefore a better source.

Ensuring the right nutritional balance during pregnancy largely influences both the well-being of the mother and child and the infants overall health as they grow up (Biesalski, 2005). All nutrients are important for neuronal cell growth and brain development as a fetus, but some appear to have greater effects than others such as protein, iron and zinc (as per the table below).



Protein in meat is highly digestible by the human body and provides all the essential amino acids. The body is able to digest up to 94% of protein found in meat, compared to 78% in beans and 86% in whole wheat (Williams, 2007).

There are many disadvantages to not consuming enough nutrients which aid in human growth and development, especially for pregnant women, children and adolescents. Protein-energy malnutrition reduces neuronal DNA and RNA content and alters the fatty acid profile resulting in the brain size being reduced. Iron is necessary for basic neuronal processes. Iron deficiency during pregnancy can have long-term effects on the fetuses memory and spatial navigation. Fetuses of zinc-deficient mothers show decreased fetal movement and heart rate variability, which is suggestive of altered autonomic nervous system stability ( Georgieff, 2007).

Meat contains important macro (i.e. protein and fat) and micro (e.g. iron, zinc, folic acid, and vitamin B12) nutrients required for neurological development. These areas of the brain take longer to mature during childhood and adolescence; and have been implicated in early Alzheimer disease (Heys et al., 2010).

As part of a healthy balanced diet, Australians need to include more fruits, vegetables, grain (cereal) foods, particularly wholegrain cereals, reduced fat milk, yoghurt and cheese varieties in their diet; they also need to include lean meats (500g/per week), poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes/beans. Water is also vital in ensuring optimal health (Eat for Health, 2013).

Reducing or eliminating processed meats, will also assist in reducing the risk of bowel cancer. Williams (2007) defines processed meats as products containing no less than 30% meat, which have been preserved and includes manufactured, cured and dried meat such as sausages, salami and canned meats. To date, research has shown that so far low fat meat seems not to contribute to colon cancer (Biesalski, 2005).

Including physical activity in everyday life will also assist in reducing the risk of cancer. It has been shown that people who participate in moderate to vigorous levels of physical activity have a lower mortality rate and a lower incidence of a number of diseases (Australian Food and Grocery Council, 2010).

Personally, I believe the cartoon depicts how society can be quick to make judgement in relation to their food consumption without all the information. Health and well-being is holistic and cannot be looked at in isolation. Many modifiable lifestyle choices, such as smoking, junk food, medications, alcohol and exercise can all influence a person’s health and risk of cancer. Pigeon-holing all meat into the bracket that it causes cancer is very risky. As it can have detrimental effects to many groups; from the time a fetus is developing in their mother’s stomach to an elderly person whose memory is not what it use to be as they have missed the essential vitamins and minerals available from the consumption of lean meat.
 * Analysis of the artefact **

Throughout the research it was clear that many studies have not looked at meat and processed meat separately and this can have a huge effect on the outcomes of their research, as eating the recommended amounts of lean meat has been shown not to be linked to cancer. I had mixed feelings going into this assignment as I have personal views in relation to the treatment of animals and I was leading towards eliminating meat from my diet. Instead I am now going to continue to consume meat although I will be making informed decisions about the type of meat I purchase, how I cook and eat it and also where my meat is coming from.

It is not enough to say if we ban meat all will be well. We need to educate society in relation to the risks of consuming too much or processed meat as well as the modifiable lifestyle factors that they need to be aware of. So in answer to my original question, is it safe to eat meat? Absolutely!!

http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/page/messages/Battery+Hens+-+A+different+perspective http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/page/messages/Agony+to+Ecstasy
 * Wiki Reflections **

Australian Food and Grocery Council. (2010). Nutrition and health: the facts and figures. Retrieved from []
 * References **

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). (2013). Cancer. Retrieved from http://www.aihw.gov.au/cancer/

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). (2013). Risk factors to health. Retrieved from http://aihw.gov.au/risk-factors/

Biesalski, H. K. (2005). Meat as a component of a healthy diet – are there any risks or benefits if meat is avoided in the diet? //Meat Science, 70,// 509–524. Retrieved from []

Bowel Cancer Australia. (2010). What is bowel cancer. Retrieved from []

Cancer Australia. (2013). Cancer in Australia statistics. Retrieved from []

Cancer Council Australia. (2009). Meat and cancer prevention. Retrieved from []

Eat for Health. (2013). Australian dietary guidelines – summary. Retrieved from []

Corpet, D.E. (2011). Red meat and colon cancer: Should we become vegetarians, or can we make meat safer? //Meat Science, 89//, 310–316. Retrieved from []

Ferguson, L, R. (2010). Meat and cancer. //Meat Science, 84//, 308–313. Retrieved from []

Georgieff, M, K. (2007). Nutrition and the developing brain: nutrient priorities and measurement. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85 , 614S-620S. Retrieved from http://ajcn.nutrition.org.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/content/85/2/614S.full.pdf+html

[|Heys], M., [|Jiang] , C., [|Schooling] , C.M., [|Zhang] , W., [| Cheng] , K.K., [|Lam] , T. H., & [|Leung] , G. M. (2010). Is childhood meat eating associated with better later adulthood cognition in a developing population? //European Journal of Epidemiology,// //25//, 507–516. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2903695/

Jiménez-Colmenero, F., Carballo, J., & Cofrades, S. (2001). Healthier meat and meat products: their role as functional foods. //Meat Science, 59//, 5–13. Retrieved from [|http://dx.doi.org.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/10.1016/S0309-1740(01)00053-5]

Luciano, F.B. (2009). The impacts of lean red meat consumption on human health: a review. //CYTA: Journal of Food, 7//, 143-151. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1080/19476330902940523#.UnBfpFMduRM

Mann, N. (2000). Dietary lean red meat and human evolution. European Journal of Nutrition, 39 , 71-79. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/ehost/detail?sid=25f4eb5f-caa2-4489-8647-cdd5db074489%40sessionmgr13&vid=1&hid=9&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=afh&AN=4001142

McAfee, A.J., McSorley, E.M., Cuskelly, G.J., Moss, B.W., Wallace, J., Maxine P. Bonham, M.P., & Fearon, A.M. (2010). Red meat consumption: An overview of the risks and benefits. //Meat Science, 84,// 1–13. Retrieved from []

Williams, P. (2007). Nutritional composition of red meat. //Nutrition & Dietetics, 64//, S113–S119. Retrieved from doi: 10.1111/j.1747-0080.2007.00197.x

World Cancer Research Fund. (2009). Policy and action for cancer prevention. Retrieved from []