“The larger incidence of colorectal cancer in Northern Europe compared to Mediterranean countries was associated with an almost double intake of processed red meats and a much larger proportion of cooked and cured sausages and ‘minced’ hamburger-type products, known to be high in fat content,” the report read.
The number of Belgians suffering from the disease could diminish by up to 10-20% from the almost 8,000 cases reported each year if the recommendations of the health council are respected, a communiqué of the federal government noted later.
The meat sector is unconvinced however: “We are at 670g per week right now, so not too far from what it should be,” Thierry Smagghe, director at the Federation of Belgian Meat (FEBEV) told globalmeatnews.com.
He argued that the report’s advice repeated conclusions already made: “It is accepted that there is a certain influence
[on the risk of developing colorectal cancer] if you eat a lot of meat – excesses are always bad,” Smagghe continued.
However, he suggested the study actually showed how meat can be part of a healthy diet as a protein source: “We should focus on the people who do not eat enough meat, such as the elderly, or pregnant women,” he said.
In fact, Belgian meat consumption rates have dropped in recent years: “Maybe we ate too much meat some years ago,” the FEBEV director noted.
“Now, we are on a way to healthier diet in which meat has its place – for me that’s the conclusion of that study,” he stressed.