Just 1 hotdog per day could harm your health, study finds

• New research has found that eating even small amounts of processed meat may raise the risk of serious diseases, including cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
• The study also links sugar-sweetened drinks and trans fats to higher health risks, reinforcing calls to reduce their consumption.
• Researchers explained that while the findings show strong and consistent associations, the focus should be on balanced, realistic eating habits rather than strict elimination.

In a new burden of proof study published in Nature Medicine, researchers analyzed data from over 60 previous studies investigating how processed meats, sugary beverages, and trans fatty acids in the diet relate to the risk of developing a range of conditions.

After completing their analysis, the researchers concluded that regularly consuming even small amounts of processed meat, sugary drinks, and trans fatty acids is linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and colorectal cancer.

The data showed that people who ate just one hot dog per day had an 11% greater risk of type 2 diabetes and a 7% higher risk of colorectal cancer compared to those who did not eat processed meat.

In addition, drinking about a 12-ounce soda daily was linked to an 8% increased risk of type 2 diabetes and a 2% higher risk of ischemic heart disease.

This study supports previous findings that suggest that eating red meat and sugar may contribute to colorectal cancer among young people.

Based on the findings, experts continue to recommend that it is best to avoid or minimise the regular consumption of processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, and industrially produced trans fats in order to improve health outcomes.

The risk was found to rise with higher levels of intake, and for processed meats, the data indicated there is no safe level of consumption.

First author Demewoz Haile, PhD, a research scientist at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, explained the key findings to GMHCN.

“Similarly, consuming sugary drinks, such as sodas, was linked to adverse health outcomes,” he added.

Haile kept emphasizing that his and his colleagues’ study provided a “conservative analysis” of the health risks associated with processed meat consumption.

Even so, he said, the “analysis showed that commonly observed levels of sugary drink consumption, a daily intake of up to 390 grams (equivalent to 12 ounces), were associated with at least an 8% increased risk of type 2 diabetes and a 2% increased risk of ischemic heart disease.”Regular consumption of these foods, even in small amounts, was associated with at least a 3% increased risk of ischemic heart disease.

Individuals who habitually consume these foods should be aware of the increased risk of developing chronic diseases linked to their intake, even in moderate quantities.

It is important to note, however, that the studies included in the analysis were observational, meaning they can only show an association between diet and disease risk rather than directly prove cause and effect.

In addition, the findings relied on participants’ self-reported eating habits, which can introduce inaccuracies due to memory errors or misreporting.

Even with advanced analytical methods, the researchers highlighted that diet data remains limited, which is a common challenge in nutritional research.

Two nutrition experts, not involved in the study, also spoke to GMHCN about its findings.

Haley Bishoff, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian at Rutsu Nutrition, said that “one of the most notable takeaways was the relative risk between developing type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer with such small serving sizes of processed meat, indicating that no real amount of processed meat is considered safe.”

“The equivalent of one hot dog (50 g) per day showed an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 30%, and a 26% increased risk of colorectal cancer. A 50 g [gram] serving is roughly 1.8 oz [ounces] of meat, which many Americans consume much more on a daily basis,” Bishoff explained.

Destini Moody, RD, CSSD, LD, registered dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching, agreed, telling GMHCN that she “would strongly caution against patients and the public taking away that the risk of chronic disease is small when consuming these foods.”

“It’s been well-established by prominent entities such as the American Heart Association and WHO [World Health Organization] that trans fats, processed meats, and refined sugars increase risk of chronic disease across the board,” Moody added.