Epidemiologic Study on Red Meat Consumption

Epidemiological Study on the Link Between Red Meat and Cancer

Media sources have constantly reported the results of epidemiological studies with great drama. While these reports are driven by hyperbolic headlines due to excitement, epidemiologic research are usually driven by real science with significant implications for practice in public health. In the past few months, media sources have carried out reports with hyperbolic headlines on the issue of whether red meat contributes to cancer. These reports have been based on a recent publication by the World Health Organization that red meat enhances the risk of cancer. An example of these reports is the publication on The Daily Mail on whether people should eat red meat based on recent reports that it actually increases the risk of cancer.

Article Summary

Reynolds (2016) published a report on The Daily Mail on whether red meat increases an individual's risk of cancer in light of recent reports that it actually does so. The researcher provided the publication on the premise that there are many kinds of red meat and red meat products that are available in today's market. These food items range from products in farmers' markets, restaurants, and supermarkets. In addition to the wide availability, the impact of consumption and production of red meat and red meat products is complex. The reporter states that even though consuming red meat and its associated products is part of a balanced diet, it increases the risk of cancer. This is primarily because fatty red meat and processed red meat products contain potentially harmful nutrients like saturated fats that could contribute to cancer. Therefore, consumption of red meat is both beneficial and harmful with regards to being part of a balanced diet and increasing risk of cancer respectively.

How it Represents Epidemiological Study

Despite having a hyperbolic headline and being seemingly driven by excitement, this article represents an epidemiological study. Actually, the article is a cross-sectional epidemiological study that effectively compares the benefits and dangers of producing and consuming red meat and its associated products. A cross-sectional epidemiological study usually examines a group's health status and exposure status concurrently ("The Four Most Common Types of Epidemiologic Studies," n.d.). In this case, the report examines the health status and exposure status of consumption of red meat and its associated products. While the study examines the probable health effects of red meat consumption with regards to increasing the risk of cancer, it does not confirm the link between the two. Therefore, it is an observational study in which the researcher has examined but does not alter results of red meat consumption in relation to the risk of cancer.

Current Practice of Epidemiology