Animal Fat Increases Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

According to The National Institutes of Health–AARP Diet and Health Study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers concluded a positive correlation between pancreatic cancer and saturated fat, especially from animal products such as red meat and dairy.

Researchers examined the association between fat from different food sources on over 500,000 individuals, consisting of 308,736 men and 216,737 women. Those that consumed the most dietary fat resulted in a 53% higher risk of pancreatic cancer in men and 23% higher risk in women. Additionally, those participants that consumed higher saturated fat had a 36% increased risk of pancreatic cancer and barbecued meat increases the risk to 60%.

Heating meat to high temperatures produces cancer causing compounds called heterocyclic amines. One study "closely monitored the diet of 62,000 healthy people. Over nine years 208 participants were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The participants eating foods like hamburgers were far more likely to develop cancer. Very well-done meat came with a 70% higher cancer risk." Fried bacon contains the highest levels of heterocyclic amines.

Pancreatic cancer has a high fatality rate. However, adopting a whole-food, nutrient-rich, plant-based diet can greatly reduce our risk of developing it.

Additional resources:

(1) Industrial Carcinogens in Animal Fat

(2) Harvard's Meat and Mortality Studies

(3) Dr. Carney's Cancer Pinterest board

(4) Barbecue meat and pancreatic cancer risk

(5) Cooked meats and breast, colorectum, and prostate cancer

(6) Saturated fat, protein, iron, and meat preparation associated with cancer

(7) Elevated risk of cancerous colorectal adenomas associated with cooking meat

(8) Heteroyclic Aromatic Amines (HAAs) are a class of hazardous chemicals produced when cooking any type of meat.

(9) Frying bacon contains the highest Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs)

(10) Summer Cookout? Where's the Beef?

(11) Red and Processed Meat Products: No Safe Amount