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HEALTH

The Claim

Processed meat is classified in the same International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) carcinogenicity category as tobacco smoking (cigarettes).

Verified by Lenz ·

The Short Version

IARC and WHO sources explicitly place processed meat consumption and tobacco smoking in the same IARC Group 1 category, meaning there is sufficient evidence they can cause cancer in humans. The claim is accurate as stated. The main caveat is that sharing a category does not mean they pose the same level of risk.

Caveats

  • IARC Group 1 reflects strength of evidence that something can cause cancer, not how large the risk is.
  • The technically precise classification is the consumption of processed meat, not processed meat in every possible context.
  • Equal category does not mean processed meat is as dangerous as cigarette smoking in absolute or everyday risk terms.

The Receipts

  1. IARC group 1

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs via Wikipedia summary

  2. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142

    International Agency for Research on Cancer

  3. IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)

  4. Q&A on the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)

  5. Carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat

    World Health Organization (WHO)

  6. Category:IARC Group 1 carcinogens

    Wikipedia

  7. List of IARC Group 1 carcinogens

    Public Utilities Commission of South Dakota (IARC list reproduction)

  8. List of IARC evaluations - Group 1: Carcinogenic to humans

    International Training Centre of the ILO

  9. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (Preamble and general information)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)

  10. Mechanistic evidence for red meat and processed meat intake and cancer risk

    PMC (NIH/NLM)

+ 16 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

International Agency for Research on Cancerprocessed meatTobacco Smoking

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