The World Health Organization (WHO) classified processed meats, including deli ham, as Group 1 carcinogens.
NOT BSTOTAL BS
HARDLY BS — Verdict: Mostly True
Verified by Lenz ·
The Short Version
This claim is substantively accurate. In October 2015, IARC — the cancer research agency of the WHO — classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, and explicitly listed "ham" as an example. WHO itself communicates this classification on its own website. Saying "WHO classified" is reasonable shorthand, though technically the classification comes from IARC's Monographs program. "Deli ham" falls under the processed meat category rather than being individually evaluated. The core claim holds up well.
Caveats
The Group 1 classification was formally issued by IARC (WHO's cancer agency), not by WHO's broader institutional apparatus — though WHO publicly endorses and communicates the finding.
Group 1 indicates strong evidence that something causes cancer, not that the level of risk is comparable to other Group 1 agents like tobacco smoking.
'Deli ham' is not individually classified — it falls under the broad category of 'processed meat,' with 'ham' listed as one example by IARC.