Sometime last week, the World Health Organisation made some new recommendations which shocked the world. Red meat was classified as Group 2A, and that processed meat was classified as a Group1; probably carcinogenic to humans. This basically means that there is convincing evidence that the agent causes cancer based on studies which showed the development of cancer in exposed humans. What caused more worry was the fact that tobacco smoking was also classified as group 1 carcinogenic, posing the question: Is consumption of processed meat as carcinogenic as tobacco smoking? If so, what should we eat then given that there are people who swear by bacon. The topic predictably sparked trending hash tags on social media such as #freebacon, #smugmeateaters and #smugvegetarian.
No doubt, it is a culture of Kenyans since the days of yore to enjoy nyama choma or barbecued meat. Though back then nyama choma was reserved for important occasions. Today a party is not a party till the roast meat arrives, accompanied by other delicacies of course. Kenyans are also beginning to increasingly indulge in processed meats like ham, bacon and sausages. The “smokie” stands are popping up everywhere nowadays and it’s difficult to resist stopping to have a bite especially when accompanied by kachumbari, yummy. So does this mean that Kenyans’ tendency to indulge in processed and red meat automatically puts them at risk of getting cancer?
I beg to differ with the report but from a Kenyan perspective. This is because a typical Kenyan’s diet is very different from, say, the standard American diet. Whereas an American would have bacon and eggs for breakfast on a daily basis since childhood, a Kenyan is more likely to have bread and tea with processed meat being consumed once or twice a week or not at all. Also while burgers and hotdogs are readily available and popular in the USA, Kenyans generally tend to have more organic meals due to the agricultural focus of the country. The breeding of livestock is also quite different. US livestock farms use more advanced breeding technology and growing methods than Kenyan farms. As such I can safely conclude that most Kenyans are not at a high risk of contracting cancer from processed meats as they already take the meat in moderation.
A further reading of the WHO recommendations, indicated that the carcinogenic chemicals are formed during meat processing, and others during meat cooking. It suggested that people should limit their intake of red meat and processed meat, especially those whose family have a history of cancer, and those at risk because of other factors. This serves as a reminder that too much of anything is bad. We should always be keen to eat healthy and avoid those moments of overindulgence. A good example of how red meat when taken in moderation is good is evidenced by the Maasai who have for generations lived long, healthy lives, and have very few know cancer cases despite the fact that meat is their primary diet.
Therefore, we should not jump into the conclusion that meat is bad, rather, take it as a lesson that overindulgence and many other unhealthy habits do put one at risk of disease. This means that we should be alert, now more than ever before, about our lifestyle choices: What we eat, how much of it we eat, how many times we go for medical check ups and whether we care enough about our health to make it a priority.