Processed meat 'early death' link Sausages, ham, bacon and other
processed meats appear to increase the risk of dying young, a
study of half a million people across Europe suggests. It
concluded diets high in processed meats were linked to
cardiovascular disease, cancer and early deaths. The
researchers, writing in the journal BMC Medicine, said salt and
chemicals used to preserve the meat may damage health. The
British Heart Foundation suggested opting for leaner cuts of
meat. The study followed people from 10 European countries for
nearly 13 years on average.Lifestyle factors It showed people
who ate a lot of processed meat were also more likely to smoke,
be obese and have other behaviours known to damage health.
However, the researchers said even after those risk factors were
accounted for, processed meat still damaged health. One in every
17 people followed in the study died. However, those eating more
than 160g of processed meat a day - roughly two sausages and a
slice of bacon - were 44% more likely to