Processed meat 'early death' link - BDA in Dark

So more damning evidence on the effects of processed meat on our diets. What was really worrying in this report by the BBC was not that meat has a clear cumulative, negative effect on health “Hello!” but was the reported reactions from so called experts. People who should know better.

Ursula Arens of the British Dietetic Association  ( BDA ) and  Sense about Science  had reportedly said

 ”..the study’s finding that processed meat was linked to heart disease was new.”  

New? NEW????? Oh for goodness sake. Ursula grab a bottle of red wine and watch Forks over Knives ! Speak to President Bill Clinton!

Even a cursary look for evidence reveals studies dating back to 1982 and 1999 that link meat and dairy to heart disease. Perhaps Ursula Arens meant to say ‘conclusive evidence’ ?

Then there was the poor deluded expert from the British Heart Foundation who are still clearly clinging on to a hope that they can avoid having to rewrite all their recommended meaty, cheesey recipes.

Tracy Parker, a heart health dietitian with the British Heart Foundation, said the research suggested processed meat might be linked to an increased risk of early death, but those who ate more of it in the study also made “other unhealthy lifestyle choices”.

Clearly poor Tracy didn’t have time to read the report before she commented to the BBC.

Prof Sabine Rohrmann, from the University of Zurich, agrees with Tracy  that high meat consumption, especially processed meat, is associated with a less healthy lifestyle

But , a big but

“But after adjusting for smoking, obesity and other confounders we think there is a risk of eating processed meat.” said the Professor

Oh dear but Tracy Parker didn’t stop there.

“Opting for leaner cuts and using healthier cooking methods such as grilling will help to keep your heart healthy.” 

Oh really Tracy? I can’t find evidence of that, could you please urgently send me the research that shows grilled lean meat will help protect you from heart disease ?? Grilled lean meat in moderation may not kill you early if you eat lots of portions of vegetables (8 a day say Oxford University ) with it but to claim it’s a health food is a stretch of wishful thinking. You’d have to specify ‘grass fed, omega 3 rich, vitamin D rich’ before you even get close. Wild goat perhaps or wild rabbit? Horse maybe? Didn’t see that in the British Heart Foundation recipe list.

Leading UK Nutritionist in London Yvonne Bishop-Weston sums it up all up a little more sensibly

There are now a host of studies that conclusively show that eating less meat and more fruit and vegetables, particularly vegetables and beans such as in a vegetarian or a vegan diet can have huge health benefits. Whilst a good balance of essential fat is indeed essential for heart health, it can be gleaned from nuts , seeds, plants and algae whereas fish and dairy products can also add substantial amounts of calorific saturated animal fat into the diet. There are lots of confounding factors not mentioned in the study and the quest for optimal health can be more complicated, but eating less meat and substantially more vegetables is sound, evidence backed advice and a very good place to start !”

There are a good deal of dietetic health professionals and most of the UK’s Doctors that should scoot along to Vegfest UK @ London Olympia to get a grasp of reality, or they are going to end up with cheesey, fishy, sausage and egg on their faces.

Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston is just one of the experts talking at Vegfest UK London compared by comedian Dave Spikey. Sales of  meat free Vegan Foods by leading Vegfest sponsor Frys are up by 30% and interest in vegan diets is at it’s highest ever level.

2013-03-07 06:46:22

Source: http://nutrition-news.blogspot.com/2013/03/processed-meat-early-death-link-bda-in.html