Eating bacon and drinking alcohol can easily lead to stomach cancer

Eating processed meats like bacon and drinking alcohol are linked to a higher risk of stomach cancer, according to a new study.

Just 2 slices of bacon can easily cause stomach cancer.

According to a new study by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), people who eat 50g of processed meat a day, equivalent to two slices of bacon, will increase their risk of stomach cancer.

The study found that people who drank three or more glasses of alcohol a day were also at increased risk. Conversely, there is evidence that eating citrus fruits may reduce the risk of stomach cancer.

The study defines processed meat as "meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, or salting, or by the addition of preservatives. Examples include ham, bacon, smoked beef, and sausages."

Experts also point to "strong evidence" that consuming foods preserved by salting, such as pickled vegetables and salted (dried) fish, can also make you sick.

Every year in the UK, more than 7,000 people are diagnosed with stomach cancer, of which around 5,000 die. 80% of people are diagnosed when the cancer has spread throughout the body.

Doctors believe that well-treated patients can expect to live for two years after being diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer, which usually occurs in adults, according to Cancer Research UK.

Processed meat has previously been linked to bowel cancer, while being overweight or obese has been linked to 10 different types of cancer.

Scientists also reported "some evidence that consuming grilled meat and fish also increases the risk of stomach cancer".

"This new evidence gives us a clearer picture. We can now say, for the first time, that drinking alcohol and eating processed meat increases the risk of developing stomach cancer," said Dr Rachel Thompson, head of research at WCRF.

According to VNN