American Meat Institute Calls World Cancer Research Fund's Panel Recommendations on Meat Consumpton Extreme and Unfounded

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According to the American Meat Institute (AMI), the World Cancer Research Fund's (WCRF) recommendations released October 31, 2007 to limit red and processed meat intake to extremely low levels reflect WCRF's well-known anti-meat bias and should be met with skepticism. AMI says the recommendations oversimplify the complex issue of cancer, are not supported by the data and defy common sense. "WCRF's conclusions are extreme, unfounded and out of step with dietary guidelines," said AMI Foundation Vice President of Scientific Affairs Randy Huffman, Ph.D.

Huffman also expressed strong concern that all relevant research was not considered by the WCRF panel. In particular, he noted that the largest study ever done on red meat and colon cancer – a 2004 Harvard School of Public Health analysis involving 725,000 men and women and presented at the 2004 American Association for Cancer Research Conference – showed no relationship between the two. Huffman says said that in fact meat products offer one of the best sources of protein, vitamins and minerals, some of which are not found in other foods, but are important for good health. Huffman advised consumers to take the following steps: eat a balanced diet consistent with U.S dietary guidelines, get daily exercise and maintain a healthy body weight.

For more information, including an abstract of the Harvard study referenced above, visit www.meatpoultrynutrition.org or www.meatsafety.org.

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  • Dr. Randy Huffman, AMI Foundation Vice President of Scientific Affairs

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