Meat-loving Singaporeans not overly concerned about WHO report
A shocking report by an agency of the World Health Organization stating that eating processed meats can cause bowel cancer has drawn mixed reactions among health experts and food lovers in Singapore.
The findings by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which have attracted global attention and strong criticisms from meat-exporting nations, were based on a review of 800 studies. IARC said it had found “sufficient evidence” that processed meats such as sausages, ham, and hot dogs, are cancer-causing, adding that red meat “probably” does too.
Dr Liu Mei Hui, lecturer at the Food Science and Technology programme at the National University of Singapore doesn’t dispute the accuracy of the WHO study. But the study merely points to a correlation - and not a direct cause and effect - between red meat and cancer.
“It is impossible to say for sure that red meat causes cancer unless you feed people with lots of red meat and keep them in a controlled environment to measure their cancer rates,” she said.
Further studies are required to find out the specific causes of cancer, she added.
Many meat eaters are not overly concerned about the WHO findings.
Jacky Chua, a 33-year-old entrepreneur, said he would try to curb his intake of processed red meat but wouldn’t be too strict about it.
“Most of the time, processed red meat is unavoidable, especially when dining out with friends or when we go to fast food joints, said Chua, who considers himself a “moderately healthy” eater.
“There are health risks in most things you eat anyway,” he added.
Some netizens agreed and were dismissive of the WHO report.
A comment by a certain “Mister” said, “If you eat 3-rasher bacon sandwich every single day, you're probably going to die of something else before colorectal cancer gets you.” Another reader “C J” disregarded the findings, saying “stress causes cancer too, so how?”
But some health-conscious Singaporeans are taking steps to trim their red meat intake.
Alicia Goh, a 29-year-old lawyer, said before the WHO study, she was already aware of the harmful effects of consuming too much processed red meat. The self-confessed bacon lover decided to reduce her consumption of the meat.
“When I started to cut back, I realised I don’t miss it as much,” she said. With the latest WHO findings, Goh said she would also start cutting back on beef and eat leaner cuts of pork instead.
Not surprising, government officials from meat-exporting nations and industry associations have a beef with the report.
Australian Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has called the report a “farce” while the North American Meat Institute said it was “alarmist”.
But meat lovers in Singapore need not fret too much as even IARC acknowledged that meat has “known health benefits.” The rule of everything in moderation applies for meat consumption as well so they can continue to savour their bak kwa (processed dried pork), jamon iberico and beef sausages.
