Hot dogs, bacon, and red meat are giving people cancer


Eating processed meats can give you cancer, a World Health Organization group announced on Monday.
In surprisingly direct phrasing, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) eschewed bureaucratic language like "may cause" to express any doubt about its research, instead labeling processed meats as "carcinogenic to humans." It's the highest ranking a substance can receive, putting the meat on par with alcohol, asbestos, arsenic, and cigarettes.
"Processed meat refers to meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation. Most processed meats contain pork or beef, but might also contain other red meats, poultry, offal (eg, liver), or meat byproducts such as blood," the report defined. In one example, the IARC found that a 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Red meat — or "unprocessed mammalian muscle meat" such as beef, pork, lamb, veal, or goat meat — is also believed to cause cancer, according to the report, which associated consumption with pancreatic and prostate cancer. Research was carried out by an international panel who reviewed animal experiments, human diets, and cell mechanisms to reach their conclusions.
"These findings further support current public health recommendations to limit intake of meat," IARC director Dr. Christopher Wild said in a statement.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Today's political cartoons - May 11, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - shark-infested waters, Mother's Day, and more
-
5 fundamentally funny cartoons about the US Constitution
Cartoons Artists take on Sharpie edits, wear and tear, and more
-
In search of paradise in Thailand's western isles
The Week Recommends 'Unspoiled spots' remain, providing a fascinating insight into the past
-
Fly like a breeze with these 5 tips to help cope with air travel anxiety
The Week Recommends You can soothe your nervousness about flying before boarding the plane
-
RFK Jr.'s focus on autism draws the ire of researchers
In the Spotlight Many of Kennedy's assertions have been condemned by experts and advocates
-
Full-body scans: are Neko Health and the like more panic than panacea?
The Explainer Hailed as the 'future of medicine' by some, but not all experts are convinced
-
Fighting against fluoride
Feature A growing number of communities are ending water fluoridation. Will public health suffer?
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments
-
The strange phenomenon of beard transplants
In The Spotlight Inquiries for the procedure have tripled since 2020, according to one clinician, as prospective patients reportedly seek a more 'masculine' look