Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh yesterday advised citizens that while they were free to consume ham and other processed meats over the Christmas season, it was important to exercise common sense and discretion when choosing food options and portion sizes.
Telling the public this was not a situation which required legislative amendments, Deyalsingh said the report released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) earlier this week linking the consumption of red and processed meats to an increase in cancer was no reason for panic.
He said the key to reducing the risk of developing cancer was moderation—both in diet and food choices.
Deyalsingh said although the ministry was concerned about the findings of the report, no directive was issued to the Food and Drug Division regarding the importation of products.
Addressing concerns at a press conference at the Ministry of Health, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, Deyalsingh said the average Trinidadian did not consume more than 100 grammes of red meat daily.
He said people who consumed more than 100 grammes of red meat daily were at a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer (colon cancer) by as much as 17 per cent.
He said citizens of the United States needed to pay greater attention to the findings of the WHO report as their society encouraged those kinds of eating habits.
“In Trinidad and Tobago, we eat a higher proportion of white meat and fish,†he said.
Admitting that there had been a lot of ambiguity in the reports being published following the release of the report, the minister said while citizens had to pay attention to their consumption of red and processed meats, it was also important to revise their diets which were consistently high in saturated fats, salt and sugar.
Limit red meat consumption
Urging persons to limit their intake of red meat and eat little, if any, processed meats (as the World Cancer Research Fund recommended only 2.5 ounces of red meat daily), Phillip said dietitians recommended limiting red meat to no more than twice weekly.
She said this consumption of red meat, along with a meat alternative such as fish and chicken, would make up the recommended daily intake of five ounces of protein.
Phillip also urged persons to eat more plant-based foods including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, peas and beans; reduce their salt intake and limit alcoholic drinks to two per day for men and one per day for women; avoid high-calorie foods and sugary drinks; exercise for at least 30 minutes daily; and eat healthy rather than relying on supplements to protect against cancer.
On the issue of grilled or barbecued meat, she said, this method might actually increase the risk of cancer.
However, she urged citizens to use low-temperature cooking methods for meat such as steaming, stewing, and baking instead of frying, grilling and barbecuing.
Stating that, “I’m not saying we can’t do it,†she noted that the preparation of meats also had a part to play in reducing the risk of developing cancer.
Precautionary measures
​After the report was made public, Deyalsingh said the ministry acted almost immediately to convene a panel of local experts, including doctors, to educate the public and allay fears among the populace that they would be forced to avoid eating certain meats and sausages.
According to the WHO report, eating processed meat such as sausages and ham causes cancer, while unprocessed red meat may also be carcinogenic.
The WHO’s cancer research unit classified processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans,†based on evidence from hundreds of studies.
Linking it specifically to colon or colorectal cancer, the report outlined that by eating 50 grammes of processed meat each day, which was equivalent to two slices of ham, there was an 18 per cent increase in the risk of such cancer developing.
Defining a carcinogen very simply as a substance that causes cancer, medical director at the National Radiotherapy Centre, Dr Dylan Narinesingh, said substances which fell into this category included cigarette smoke, radiation, alcoholic beverages and processed meats.
He attributed the increase to many different factors including hereditary factors, diet and lifestyle choices.
In a bid to reduce the risk of developing such cancers, Narinesingh advised persons: “Eat a diet with less red meat, choose poultry and seafood instead, and increase your fruit and vegetable consumption.â€
Manager, Nutrition and Metabolism Division, Taryn Phillip, said processed meat was prepared by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives.
Examples of processed meat include ham, bacon, pastrami, salami, hot dogs and assorted sausages.
Phillip admitted that while there was strong evidence that the consumption of red and processed meats increased the risk of bowel cancer, the key to staving off this disease was moderation as “red meat is a good source of valuable nutrients.â€
Yvonne Lewis, director of the Health Education Division, said they had already begun visiting schools as part of a public education campaign to promote awareness among children as to the risks associated with the over-consumption of red and processed meats.
With an evaluation of the School Meals Options planned for 2015/2016, Lewis said assessments and recommendations would be made to ensure that the meals being supplied met the necessary nutritional requirements, without putting children at risk for obesity and other chronic diseases.