Bringing Home the Bacon?

World-wide, 9 million people die each year from coronary heart disease (CHD or 'heart attacks'). CHD is caused by a narrowing (due to plaque) of the vessels, supplying oxygenated blood to the heart (arteriosclerosis). Ten percent of the UK population die from CHD. An Oxford University group analysed life-style and medical data from 1.4 million people who were tracked for up to 30 years. The subjects were mostly white adults from Europe or the United States, so other cohorts need to be studied (https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/jul/21/eating-processed-meat-raises-risk-heart-disease-fifth-bacon ). The Oxford study showed that eating processed meat (like bacon, ham and sausages) increased the risk of CHD by 18%. As little as 50g of bacon, ham or sausages per day was sufficient to bring about this effect. The precise mechanism is uncertain but processed meats are high in saturated fats (increasing harmful low density lipoprotein) and salt (elevating blood pressure). Limiting protein to unprocessed red meat (e.g. beef, lamb and pork). reduced the elevation of CHD risk to 9% (half). There was no link between eating poultry (chicken and turkey) and CHD risk. Poultry meat is lower in saturated fats. The authors of the Oxford study, suggest that people should, at least, reduce their intake of red and processed meat by 75%. This would not only protect their health, it would reduce emissions of 'greenhouse gases', helping to limit climate change. Meat production is a major source of both carbon dioxide and methane! I see that the Food industry in the UK are altruistically objecting to the proposed sugar and salt tax on unhealthy foods because it will add £160 to grocery bills (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jul/20/sugar-and-salt-tax-will-add-160-a-year-to-uk-grocery-bills-industry-warns ). The food manufacturers maintain that the tax will hit the poorest families hardest. They seem to suggest that poor families should only expect to eat junk foods?