Doctors warn this popular ballpark treat raises colorectal cancer risk

Let’s be frank.While it’s common to indulge in a hot dog at a baseball game, a new poll reveals that most Americans do not know that the tubular meat may be one of the wurst things for their health.“Tens of millions of Americans could eat hot dogs this baseball season, but most of them are unaware that doing so raises their risk of colorectal cancer and other diseases,” said Noah Praamsma, a nutrition education coordinator for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which conducted the poll.Once primarily associated with older adults, colorectal cancer cases have been steadily rising among younger people since the ’90s.Today, it’s the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Americans under 50, according to the National Cancer Institute.The popular American pastime of eating processed meat may be to blame.Processed meats — like hot dogs, sausages, bacon, pepperoni and ham, that have been salted, cured, smoked or chemically preserved to extend their shelf life — have been classified as carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organization.The WHO noted that there is “sufficient evidence from epidemiological studies that eating processed meat causes colorectal cancer.”Experts believe the increased cancer risk may be from nitrates within the meat that combine with compounds in the body to damage cells. A March 2024 study found that people who consume a lot of red or processed meats, respectively, face a 30% to 40% increased risk for colorectal cancer.The American Heart Association recommends limiting processed meat to 100 grams a week, about two servings.Scientists are still learning the full extent of what makes ultraprocessed foods so harmful.

New evidence suggests they may interfere with the body’s natural healing process.A December 2024 study found that chronic inflammation, fueled by poor diet choices, plays a key role in driving the growth of colorectal cancer.

 The research doesn’t seem to have resonated with o...