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yesterday

Meta-Analysis Finds No Safe Level for Processed Meats, Sugary Drinks and Trans Fats

Eating one hot dog’s worth of processed meat daily was linked to an 11 percent rise in diabetes risk with a 7 percent rise in colorectal cancer risk

Hot dogs are ready for the 2025 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating competition at Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York on July 4, 2025.
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Why you should skip eating hot dogs this Fourth of July

Overview

  • Researchers analyzed data from more than 70 studies in a Nature Medicine paper published June 30 to assess links between processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages and trans fatty acids and three chronic diseases.
  • Daily intake of roughly 50 grams of processed meat corresponded to an average 11 percent increase in type 2 diabetes risk and a 7 percent increase in colorectal cancer risk.
  • Consuming a sugar-sweetened beverage each day was associated with an 8 percent greater risk of type 2 diabetes and a 2 percent greater risk of ischemic heart disease.
  • Intakes of trans fatty acids making up 0.25 to 2.56 percent of daily energy were linked to a 3 percent higher risk of ischemic heart disease.
  • Authors recommend avoiding or minimizing these foods in line with WHO and CDC guidance but acknowledge that reliance on self-reported intake and varied study quality weakens causal conclusions and calls for stronger research.