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Cancer Society: Back off the red meat, alcohol
September 17, 1996
Web posted at: 12:045 p.m. EDTATLANTA (CNN) -- The American Cancer Society drew the ire of meat and alcohol industry officials Monday when it released guidelines calling for reduction in meat and alcohol intake to lower the risk of cancer.
The New York Times reported that the society made four recommendations, similar to those issued by federal government agencies, but more specific and more strict.
The guidelines recommend:
- A diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but low in high-fat foods, especially those containing animal fats.
- Maintenance of a healthy weight and exercise program.
- Limited or no alcohol intake.
Governmental guidelines recommend eating leaner cuts of meat, but the society's guidelines call for a curtailment of all red meat consumption -- not just higher-in-fat cuts.
"We're not saying cut out meat altogether," said Mary O'Connell, the society's nutrition director. "We're saying when you eat meat, select lean cuts. You might want to choose smaller portions ... you might want to think of meat as a side dish instead of the main dish."
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O'Connell also suggested beans, poultry and seafood as replacements for red meat.
But Janet Williams, a spokesperson for the American Meat Institute, said guidelines go too far when they begin to dictate food choices.
"Meat is there, and it's there for a good reason nutritionally," she said. "So to indict meat as the one source of fat that should be limited or reduced is probably inappropriate in a mixed diet."
Williams also complained that the society's recommendations were not consistent with federal dietary guidelines. But Dr. Meir Stampfer, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, told The New York Times that the society, without the pressures of lobbying groups, could better make decisions based on scientific research.
Alcohol benefits?
In making its recommendations about limiting the use of alcohol, the society did acknowledge recent studies showing that a moderate intake of alcohol could decrease the risk of heart disease. Men over 50 and women over 60, the report said, my find that the "cardiovascular benefits may outweigh the risk of cancer."
Federal guidelines say flatly that "one or two drinks daily appear to cause no harm to adults." The society report said that "cancer risk increases with the amount of alcohol consumed and may start to rise with intake of as few as two drinks a day."
John De Luca, president of the Wine Institute, complained that wine should not be included with other alcoholic beverages, and noted that some studies have shown moderate wine consumption could reduce the risk of breast cancer.
But Stampfer said the guidelines made sense as they are. "We know lots of ways of reducing the risk of heart disease without alcohol," he said. "For sub-groups at high risk for breast cancer, why drink?"
The report also concluded that artificial sweeteners, coffee, fluorides, irradiated foods, food additives and food substitutes do not create an increased risk in cancer, with two exceptions.
Nitrites can be converted into carcinogens in the stomach, and olestra, the fat substitute produced by Procter & Gamble, is described as worrisome. The society is concerned that the product reduces absorption of some fat soluble substances that may be beneficial.
Related stories:
- Study: America is eating healthier - September 5, 1996
- New fake fat: tastes good, less filling - August 25, 1996
- USDA lets schools substitute yogurt for meat in lunches - August 9, 1996
- Wine industry trumpets anti-bacteria research - May 7, 1996
- Study says consumers are fed up with expert advice on nutrition - June 26, 1996
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