Physical Wellness

Obesity, Alcohol And Processed Meat Increases Stomach Cancer Risks

By Sara Gale | Update Date: Apr 21, 2016 05:33 AM EDT

Eating processed meat and drinking alcohol are said to cause stomach cancer in people that take them on regular basis. Meanwhile, obesity is also said to have a strong association in causing stomach cancer.

Eating two rashers of bacon everyday would reportedly increase the risk of stomach cancer and so is drinking three or more alcoholic beverages a day. According to World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), processed foods like salted fish and pickled vegetables also pose increased risk of stomach cancer, reported Sky News.

About 77,000 stomach cancer cases from 89 studies involving around 17 million adults were analyzed by AICR. The study results were published in Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Stomach Cancer by the combined efforts of AICR and the WCRF.

"This report is a real wake-up call," says Alice Bender, head of nutrition programs at AICR, in a statement tied to the report's release, noted Entrepreneur India. "Obesity is now linked to eleven types of cancer and we want Americans to know there are steps everyone can take for cancer prevention and better health, like eating more vegetables, beans, fruits and other plant foods along with squeezing in a few more steps every day."

About 21,000 people in the US are affected by gastric cancer every year of which 11,000 people die of the disease, notes National Cancer Institute. The global scenario is also quite alarming as well, as about 950,000 a people a year are affected by the fatal disease.

"Processed meat is meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by the addition of preservatives. Examples include ham, bacon, pastrami and salami, as well as hot dogs and some sausages," the report reads, reported NBC News.

The report also has it that around 11 percent of stomach cancers in the country is caused by smoking. AICR also noted that obesity and alcohol drinking are strongly associated with liver cancer. Obesity on the other hand is said to increase the risk of breast cancer, endometrial cancer and colon cancer.

"These findings will hopefully help people better understand what increases their risk of cancer so that they can make informed decisions about their lifestyle choices," said Dr Rachel Thompson, the WRCF's head of research implementation.

© 2023 Counsel & Heal All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics