Raises risk
Processed meat
bacon, ham, hot dogs, deli meats. Processed & preserved.
- Verdict
- Raises riskStudies link it to higher cancer risk.
- How sure
- Rung 5 · EstablishedLarge randomized trials or overwhelming, consistent human evidence; reflected in major guidelines.
- How big
- About 16% higher colorectal cancer risk for each 50 g eaten per day.
The rung shows how sure the science is, not how big the effect is. How to read these ratings
Cancers affected
Colorectal
What the evidence shows
Classified by the WHO's cancer agency as a cause of colorectal cancer. Risk rises about 16% per 50 g a day.
What to do
Make it occasional, not daily.
Sources
To take it to your doctor, print this page.
Step by step
For the whole picture, from prevention and screening to treatment and life after, see the colorectal cancer page.