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Producers: Please use the following messages when responding to questions about the report and the role of beef in a healthy diet:
WCRF/AICR Report Key Messages
October 31, 2007
The WCRF/AICR recommendations about red meat go beyond what science really supports. The fact is there are volumes of research about the benefits of red meat in a healthy diet that far outweigh anything we’ve seen today.
· As a responsible industry, we wanted to know more about what the science said about red meat and cancer so we commissioned a team of leading independent experts to examine the evidence and they found no evidence that red meat causes cancer.
o These researchers reviewed more than 500 scientific studies involving meat and six types of cancers and found no evidence that red meat causes cancer.
o This scientific review evaluated 12 variables against six kinds of cancer: colorectal, prostate, pancreatic, stomach, breast and kidney cancer.
o Out of 72 relationships assessed, there were only a couple patterns of weak associations that require further research.
§ If asked: The only patterns of associations were between red and processed meat and colorectal cancer in men, and processed meat and stomach cancer yet these associations were considered weak (1.5 RR or less), inconsistent and most were not statistically significant.
o This team of leading experts recently completed a comprehensive and extensive analysis called “An Assessment of Red Meat and Cancer Risk.”
§ They analyzed the research based on the best known scientific method for evaluating evidence---know as the Bradford-Hill criteria.
§ These researchers conducted a similar review process as the WCRF/AICR panel followed.
· This research team and the WCRF/AICR panel both conducted a comprehensive medical database search to locate published studies on red meat and cancer risk.
· The research team then followed a systematic literature review process to evaluate the available epidemiological data.
§ In addition, a review published by the Dietitians Association of Australia concluded “The evidence that eating red meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer remains weak and inconsistent.” The review author cited two examples:
· A pooled analysis of 76,000 men and women that confirmed that there is no support whatsoever that vegetarian lifestyle provides any protection from colorectal cancer.
· Another pooling analysis at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University combined 14 prospective studies of 725,258 subjects and in the only publicly available document reporting on their findings (an abstract), concluded, “these prospective data do not support a positive association between higher red meat and fat intake and colorectal cancer risk.”
· We disagree with the WCRF/AICR recommendations about red meat because there is no conclusive scientific evidence to support them.
o It would be irresponsible to recommend eliminating any single food from the diet based on this report alone.
§ The body of scientific evidence does not support a causal relationship between red meat and cancer.
§ Nothing in this report proves that an increase or decrease in red meat consumption has a direct impact on cancer risk.
· In fact, the body of scientific evidence on red meat and cancer does not consistently define or track the actual amount of red meat people were eating.
· There’s simply nothing in this report that should change the way people enjoy red meat as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
o Based on the review of the data, there is no convincing scientific evidence that supports changing current dietary guidelines for eating red meat as part of a healthy diet.
§ The Dietary Guidelines, as well as long-standing recommendations from health organizations, are based on extensive scientific research and Americans’ nutrient needs to lead a healthy lifestyle and prevent disease.
§ The Dietary Guidelines remain scientifically sound.
o The most important dietary advice people can follow to decrease cancer risk are the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, which recommend a nutrient-rich, balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low- and nonfat dairy, and lean meat.
§ A healthy diet as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines includes a variety of nutrient-rich foods within and among all food groups, such as:
· Colorful fruits and vegetables
· Whole, fortified and enriched breads, pastas and cereals
· Low- and nonfat milk, cheese and yogurt
· Lean meats, including lean beef, pork, poultry, eggs, fish and beans
§ In its Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity released last year, the American Cancer Society recommends a dietary pattern consistent with the Dietary Guidelines.
§ In fact, according to a clinical trial reported in the October 2007 Journal of Nutrition, men and women who followed the USDA Food Guide MyPyramid recommendations had a significantly reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Men who complied with the USDA Food Guide experienced a 26 percent reduced risk, while women had an 18 percent reduced risk for colorectal cancer.
o Leading health organizations, such as the American Dietetic Association, continue to recommend eating lean meat to maintain a healthful, balanced lifestyle.
§ The Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid recommend adults eat 5 ½ ounces (or 156 grams) of lean protein each day.
§ Most Americans are already consuming red meat well within these guidelines.
· On average, adults are consuming 2.3 ounces (65 grams) of red meat each day.
§ In addition, many Americans are not meeting recommended servings from the meat group, based on caloric intake, placing them at risk for nutritional deficiencies. (Source: Pyramid Servings Intakes by U.S. Children and Adults 1994-96, 1998, Community Nutrition Research Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, October 2000.)
· More than 70 percent of all females age 20 and older are not eating the recommended servings from the meat group each day.
· More than 40 percent of all males age 20 and older are not eating the recommended servings from the meat group each day.
· More than 80 percent of girls ages 2-11 are not eating the recommended servings from the meat group each day.
· Nearly 80 percent of boys ages 2-11 are not eating the recommended servings from the meat group each day.
o The nutrients in beef, including high-quality protein, iron and zinc are essential for healthy growth and development throughout the lifecycle.
o A substantial body of evidence shows the nutrients in lean beef, such as protein, iron, zinc and B-vitamins, help maintain a healthy weight, build muscle and fuel physical activity – all of which play an important role in a healthful lifestyle and disease prevention.
§ A growing body of scientific evidence supports the role of protein in helping people lose and/or maintain a healthy weight.
§ The high-quality protein in lean beef helps sustain you and builds, maintains and repairs muscle.
§ Iron helps deliver oxygen to working muscles and is required for energy metabolism.
§ Zinc is involved in energy metabolism during physical activity and plays a role in muscle building and recovery.
§ B vitamins help convert foods that you eat into energy to fuel activity.
§ Research shows iron, zinc and B vitamins play an essential role in developing and maintaining cognitive ability across the lifecycle. In fact, 4 million children in the U.S. are iron-deficient, and childhood iron deficiency anemia is associated with behavioral and cognitive delays. Zinc plays an important role in improving recall skills, reasoning, psychomotor function and attention in growing children, and emerging research shows B vitamins can help protect against cognitive declines later in life.
o Lean beef is a naturally rich source of nine essential nutrients that are needed for a healthy, active lifestyle.
§ On average, one 3-ounce serving of lean beef provides only 179 calories and is an excellent source of: protein, zinc, vitamin B12, selenium and phosphorous, and a good source of: niacin, vitamin B6, iron and riboflavin.
§ There are now 29 cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean, so it’s easy for people to “go lean with protein” and follow the Dietary Guidelines.
o (As a registered dietitian and mom), I feel good feeding beef to my family.
§ I’ve reviewed a significant amount of the scientific literature on this topic, so I’m making a very informed decision when I choose beef for my family.
§ The proven health benefits of consuming of eating red meat far outweigh any of the scientific data on red meat and cancer.
o We not only provide a high-quality protein to feed the world – we also feed beef to our own families. Our review of the science shows that people can feel confident including lean beef as part of a healthful diet.
· Cancer risk is not about diet alone.
o It’s important to put risk into perspective; cancer is a highly complex disease with many contributing factors.
§ It’s how you live, not any single food, that matters most in reducing cancer risk.
§ Individual foods cannot be considered in isolation, when it comes to optimal health and disease prevention.
· Leading health organizations, including the American Cancer Society, emphasize that foods and nutrients may have additive or synergistic effects on health and need to be considered in the context of the total diet.
§ In assessing cancer risk factors, obesity and physical inactivity have a significantly higher risk association than red meat consumption.
· In the United States, 14-20 percent of all cancer-related deaths are related to overweight/obesity. (ACS Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2006)
o If you want to talk about reducing cancer risk, let's get down to what the science really says. Research continues to show that not smoking, responsible alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight and regular physical activity are much more important to your cancer risk than eating any individual food. In fact, when it comes to managing weight, many studies have shown lean protein, like lean beef, along with regular activity can make a real difference.
o The most important thing we can do to prevent any chronic disease, including cancer, is to lead a healthy lifestyle which includes not smoking, using alcohol responsibly, maintaining a healthy weight, and choosing a diet consistent with the Dietary Guidelines which includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meats.
NCBA Statement on 2007 WCRF/AICR Second Expert Report on Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer:
Report Offers “Bad Advice” about Red Meat and Cancer
Another Scientific Review Finds No Link
Mary K. Young, M.S., R.D., Vice President, Nutrition,
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
October 31, 2007
“The WCRF/AICR recommendations about red meat and cancer are unsubstantiated and offer bad advice for consumers. There are volumes of research about the benefits of red meat in a healthy diet that far outweigh anything we’ve seen today.
“There is no evidence red meat causes cancer, according to a recent “Assessment of Red Meat and Cancer” by independent scientists. The comprehensive review evaluated every available epidemiological study on red meat and six types of cancer and concluded there was no causal link. How the WCRF review could come to a different conclusion is perplexing.
“At a time when Americans are overfed and undernourished, the report’s recommendations are especially disturbing as they are based on weak and inconsistent data.
“Lean beef can be an important part of the solution to the nation’s weight problem because the protein in lean beef helps control appetite and build muscle mass, which is essential to maintaining a healthy weight.
“Beef is the number one source of protein in the diet, which is a fundamental building block to muscle development. In addition, the other nutrients in lean beef – such as iron, zinc and B-vitamins – play a critical role in health by preventing anemia, promoting cognitive function, and building a healthy immune system.
“The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as well as long-standing recommendations from leading health organizations, continue to recommend lean, nutrient-rich meat as part of a healthy lifestyle. Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid recommend adults eat 5.5 ounces of lean protein each day, and, on average, Americans are consuming 2.3 ounces of red meat each day which is well within these guidelines.
“When considering cancer risk, it’s important to look at what the science actually says: don’t smoke, use alcohol responsibly, be physically active, maintain a healthy weight and follow a diet consistent with the Dietary Guidelines which includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lowfat dairy products and lean meats.
“As a mother and a dietitian, I can tell you there is simply nothing in this report that should change how people enjoy nutrient-rich beef as part of a healthy, balanced diet.”
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