Red Meat Intake and Colorectal Cancer Risk: A Summary of Epidemiological Studies

Epidemiological evidence of red meat and processed meat consumption and colorectal cancer risk has accumulated during the past decades. Meta-analyses of case-control and prospective cohort studies have shown a moderate increased risk, but the association is controversial. Because diet is one of the modifiable lifestyle factors for colorectal cancer prevention, the relationship has an important public health perspective. Three prospective cohort studies and one case-control study of total red meat and processed meat and colorectal cancer were published in 2011 and 2012. The findings were in general supportive of an increased risk with higher consumption. The same applies to the four studies each on fresh red meat and processed meat. Associations with dietary heterocyclic amines, nitroso-compounds, and heme iron intake are inconsistent, but evidence suggested a positive association between heme iron intake and colorectal cancer risk.