Red meat

AvoidCaution

8 studies · 2 recommendations

Last updated: February 25, 2026

Avoid1 studies

Grilling or barbecuing red meat increases colorectal cancer risk by 63%

Grilling or barbecuing red meat was the cooking method most consistently associated with elevated colorectal cancer risk across all subsites. Heterocyclic amines produced during the grilling process are carcinogenic to colonic mucosa. Choosing alternative cooking methods for red meat may reduce exposure to these carcinogens.

Evidence

A case-control study on environmental and familial risk factors for colorectal cancer in Hong Kong: dietary determinants of colorectal cancer risk

Authors: Ho, JWC, Lam, TH, Yuen, ST

Published: January 1, 2006

Among 822 colorectal cancer cases and 926 controls, grilling or barbecuing red meat was significantly associated with increased cancer risk across all subsites: all colorectal cancers (adjusted OR=1.63; 95% CI, 1.31-2.03), colon cancers (adjusted OR=1.70; 95% CI, 1.30-2.21), and rectal cancers (adjusted OR=1.68; 95% CI, 1.26-2.23). Of cases, 409 of 756 (54%) reported grilling red meat versus 365 of 876 (42%) controls. This was the most consistently significant cooking method across all subsites.

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Caution7 studies

Limiting red meat intake reduces colorectal cancer risk by 17-22% per serving

Seven studies encompassing over 1 million participants consistently link higher red meat consumption to increased colorectal cancer risk. A meta-analysis of prospective cohorts (566,607 individuals, 4,734 colon cancer cases) found a relative risk of 1.18 (95% CI: 1.06-1.32) for high heme iron intake. Case-control data from 1,463 colon and 927 rectal cancer cases showed each 50 g/day increase raised colon cancer risk by 17% (OR 1.17) and rectal cancer risk by 22% (OR 1.22). UK Biobank prospective data (~472,000 participants) confirmed lower cancer risk among low meat-eaters. A crossover trial identified a 2-fold increase in lipid peroxidation biomarkers with higher heme intake, supporting a mechanistic link. The risk applies across cooking methods and is consistent with the IARC Group 2A classification. Limiting — not eliminating — red meat is the evidence-based approach for colorectal cancer prevention.

Evidence

Diet, metabolic mediators, and cancer risk

Authors: Watling, Cody

Published: July 13, 2023

In prospective analyses of approximately 472,000 UK Biobank participants, low meat-eaters had a lower risk of both all cancer and colorectal cancer compared to regular meat-eaters. Differences in IGF-I concentrations or free testosterone did not appear to mediate these associations, suggesting other dietary or lifestyle mechanisms may underlie the reduced risk observed with lower meat consumption.

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Latin American and the Caribbean Code Against Cancer 1st edition : Weight, physical activity, diet, breastfeeding, and cancer

Authors: Aburto, T.C., Barnoya, J., Barquera, S., Canelo-Aybar, C., Cavalcante, T.M., Corvalán, C., Espina, C., Feliu, A., Hallal, P.C., Reynales-Shigematsu, L.M., Rivera, J.A., Romieu, I., Santero, Marilina, Stern, M.C., Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Published: January 1, 2023

The consensus statement identifies red meat as increasing colorectal cancer risk, recommending limitation rather than complete avoidance. The code distinguishes between processed meat (avoid) and red meat (limit), reflecting the strength of evidence for each. This graduated recommendation is consistent with the IARC Group 2A classification of red meat as probably carcinogenic. The recommendation forms part of a comprehensive dietary code directed at the general public across Latin America and the Caribbean for cancer prevention.

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Red meat and cancer risk in a network of case-control studies focusing on cooking practices

Authors: Bosetti, C., Di Maso, M., Franceschi, S., La Vecchia, C., Levi, F., Libra, M., Montella, M., Negri, E., Polesel, J., Serraino, D., Talamini, R., Zucchetto, A.

Published: August 2, 2017

A network of case-control studies conducted in Italy and Switzerland (1991-2009) including 1463 colon cancer cases, 927 rectal cancer cases, and 11,656 controls found that each 50 g/day increase in red meat intake significantly raised colon cancer risk (OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.08-1.26) and rectal cancer risk (OR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.11-1.33). No significant heterogeneity by cooking method was observed for colorectal cancers, indicating the risk is not limited to specific preparation techniques.

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Genome-Wide Diet-Gene Interaction Analyses for Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Authors: A Tenesa, AD Skol, AH Nguyen, AL Price, AM Nomura, Andrew T. Chan, Anja Rudolph, AY Liu, B Mukherjee, B Woolf, Barbara Fortini, Bette J. Caan, Brent W. Zanke, Brian E. Henderson, BW Zanke, C Kooperberg, Carolyn M. Hutter, CC Dahm, CE Murcray, Christopher I. Amos, Christopher S. Carlson, CJ Hoggart, CL Pearce, CM Hutter, Conghui Qu, Cornelia M. Ulrich, Daniela Seminara, David Duggan, DD Alexander, DD Alexander, Deanna L. Stelling, E Giovannucci, Edward L. Giovannucci, Emily White, F Dudbridge, FJ van Duijnhoven, Fredrick R. Schumacher, GA Colditz, GP Christophi, Graham Casey, Greg S. Warnick, H Brenner, Hermann Brenner, I Fortier, I Ionita-Laza, I Pe'er, I Tomlinson, IP Tomlinson, J Chou, J Lin, Jane C. Figueiredo, JC Figueiredo, Jenny Chang-Claude, Jian Gong, John A. Baron, John D. Potter, John L. Hopper, JY Dai, JY Dai, K Roeder, Kana Wu, Keith R. Curtis, KR Rosenbloom, L Hsu, Laurence N. Kolonel, Li Hsu, Loic Le Marchand, M Cotterchio, M Hedlund, M Hoffmeister, Mark A. Jenkins, Mark Thornquist, Martha L. Slattery, Mathieu Lemire, Michael Hoffmeister, Michelle Cotterchio, ML Slattery, N Risch, NJ Ollberding, P Broderick, PA Newcomb, PC Prorok, Peter T. Campbell, Polly A. Newcomb, QJ Wu, R Siegel, R Zheng, RB Gupta, Richard B. Hayes, Robert E. Schoen, Robert W. Haile, RS Houlston, S Jiao, S Kury, Shuo Jiao, SN Bennett, Sonja I. Berndt, Stephanie A. Rosse, Stephen J. Chanock, Stephen N. Thibodeau, Steven Gallinger, T Hosoya, Tabitha A. Harrison, U Peters, Ulrike Peters, W. James Gauderman, WG Christen, WH Jia, WJ Gauderman, WW Piegorsch, Y Park, Yi Lin

Published: January 1, 2014

Across a pooled case-control analysis of 9,287 colorectal cancer cases and 9,117 controls from ten studies, per quartile increment in red meat intake was associated with statistically significant increased risk of colorectal cancer. The analysis tested interactions between dietary factors and approximately 2.7 million genetic variants, with red meat showing a consistent positive association with disease risk independent of gene-diet interactions.

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Heme iron from meat and risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis and a review of the mechanisms involved

Authors: Bingham, Chen, Clinton, Cross, Cummings, de Vogel, Denis E. Corpet, Douglass, Fabrice H.F. Pierre, Grant, Leuratti, Marnett, Mirvish, Nadia M. Bastide, Nauss, Nutter, Parnaud, Pierre, Pierre, Sandhu, Sawa, Schwartz, Sesink, Shuker, Sinha

Published: January 1, 2011

Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies including 566,607 individuals and 4,734 colon cancer cases demonstrated a summary relative risk of 1.18 (95% CI: 1.06-1.32) for subjects in the highest category of heme iron intake compared with the lowest category. Experimental studies in rats with chemically-induced colon cancer showed that dietary hemoglobin and red meat consistently promoted aberrant crypt foci, a putative pre-cancer lesion. The association between dietary heme iron and colon cancer risk was statistically significant across multiple prospective studies.

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Meat consumption after disaggregation of meat dishes in a cohort of British adults in 1989 and 1999 in relation to diet quality

Authors: Prynne, C. J., Stephen, A. M., Wadsworth, M. E.J., Wagemakers, J.J.M.F.

Published: February 20, 2008

In the MRC National Survey of Health and Development birth cohort (n=2256 in 1989; n=1772 in 1999), disaggregated red meat consumption averaged 41.5 g/day in men and 30.1 g/day in women in 1999, down from 51.7 g/day and 35.7 g/day in 1989. After disaggregation, 12% of subjects in 1999 exceeded the World Cancer Research Fund red meat recommendation, compared to 30% when composite dishes were counted whole — a 50% overestimation in men and 33% in women. Increasing red and processed meat consumption was associated with higher energy, total fat, and haem iron intakes and lower fibre intake across the cohort.

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New Marker of Colon Cancer Risk Associated with Heme Intake: 1,4-Dihydroxynonane Mercapturic Acid

Authors: Bingham, Sheila A., Corpet, Denis E., Cross, Amanda J., Gasc, Nicole, Gottardi, Gaëlle, Guéraud, Françoise, Peiro, Géraldine, Pierre, Fabrice, Taché, Sylviane

Published: January 1, 2006

In this randomized crossover trial, participants consumed four different diets including a 60 g/d red meat baseline diet, 120 g/d red meat, and baseline diet supplemented with heme iron. The heme-supplemented diet resulted in a 2-fold increase in urinary DHN-MA excretion (P < 0.001), a biomarker reflecting lipid peroxidation. In complementary rat studies, DHN-MA excretion increased dramatically with high heme diets (blood sausage), and this excretion paralleled the number of preneoplastic lesions in azoxymethane-initiated rats (P < 0.0001). The association between heme intake and oxidative damage biomarkers supports limiting red meat consumption for colon cancer prevention.

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