Eating Chicken Could Shorten Your Lifespan, Raise Cancer Risk: Study

Roasted chicken with potatoes, red onionsShare on Pinterest
A new study suggests that consuming excess poultry may be associated with all-cause mortality and gastrointestinal cancers. Davide Illini/Stocksy United
  • Consuming more than 300 grams of poultry per week may lead to an increase in all-cause deaths and cancers, according to a new study.
  • The findings contradict existing research and are being approached with caution by experts.
  • Poultry is widely considered a healthier protein source and a cornerstone of healthy eating plans like the Mediterranean diet.
  • Factors that could affect mortality rates and cancer incidence were not considered in the study, prompting calls for further investigation.

A surprising new study of people in southern Italy suggests that consuming excess poultry, widely considered a healthier animal protein source, may be associated with all-cause mortality and gastrointestinal cancers.

The study’s results largely conflict with previous research and conventional wisdom. Poultry is generally considered a healthy protein source and a mainstay of healthy-diet plans, including the well-regarded Mediterranean diet.

The United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), 2020–2025, recommends up to 26 ounces of protein foods, including lean meats, poultry, and eggs, per week, without specific limits on each.

The new research, however, suggests that consuming more than 300 grams (10.5 ounces) of poultry per week may be associated with a 27% increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to consuming 100 grams (3.5 ounces) per week or less.

The findings also suggest that eating more than 300 grams of poultry per week increased the overall risk of gastrointestinal cancers in the study population by 2.3%. Specifically for men, the observed risk increased to 2.6%.

Little evidence indicates a similar association with poultry until this study, which appears in the journal Nutrients.

“This study is very thought-provoking,” said Nilesh L. Vora, MD, medical director of the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA. “Possibly for the first time, white meat consumption needs to be considered a potential risk factor for gastrointestinal cancer,” Vora, who was not involved in the study, told Healthline.

The study and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) consider poultry to include chicken, turkey, duck, geese, guineas, and game birds such as quail and pheasant.

The study used data from survey responses from 4,869 middle-aged Italian individuals from Castellana Grotte and Putignano (Apulia, Italy).

Participants self-reported their consumption of red meat and white meat (poultry) based on their recollections of what they had been eating.

No information was captured regarding their physical activity levels, which may affect their mortality or cancer risk. This is an essential factor to consider and warrants further study.

Still, some experts expressed concern about the findings.

“I think the findings are quite astonishing given that we have a lot of evidence that the Mediterranean diet in particular is healthy and reduces the risk of getting cardiovascular disease and cancers,” said Anton Bilchik, MD, PhD, surgical oncologist,chief of medicine, and director of the Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Program at Providence Saint John’s Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, CA. Bilchik wasn’t involved in the study.

“This study is quite alarming to say the least,” he told Healthline. “I think that the study needs to certainly be looked at in more detail.”

“Poultry is generally considered a healthier protein option than red meat,” noted Michelle Routhenstein, MS, a registered dietitian specializing in heart disease who was not involved in the study.

“Poultry has lower saturated fat and produces less TMAO [a chemical produced by the gut], a compound linked to arterial stiffness and increased cancer risk. Further research is needed to confirm these results and explore the underlying mechanisms before revising dietary guidelines,” Routhenstein told Healthline.

The study’s authors note that various potential factors they have not accounted for need to be considered before the full implications of their findings can be understood.

The study “doesn’t establish causality,” cautioned Routhenstein.

“It is a large sample size, which is always important, but I’m looking [for] specifics as to other risk factors associated with poultry,” Bilchik noted.

For instance, the study did not capture the source of the poultry consumed. Pesticides are used in some geographic areas, potentially affecting the healthfulness of plant and animal crops.

Additionally, industrially raised poultry has its own risks. “The use of antibiotics and hormones in some poultry farming practices raises potential long-term health concerns,” Routhenstein said.

“Studies should also examine biological mechanisms of poultry consumption, such as the role of certain cooking methods, meat preparation, and dietary patterns (e.g., fiber intake),” she added.

Poultry’s cooking time and temperature may also influence its healthiness.

“It’s been hypothesized that the cooking of the poultry may result in the release of mutagenic or cancer-causing chemicals,” pointed out Bilchik.

He noted that although this is just a hypothesis, it is inarguably the case that there are many ways in which poultry is prepared, any of which may influence its final chemical composition.

Finally, the study did not track the degree to which the poultry consumed was processed. Like other processed meats, processed poultry-based foods, such as deli turkey slices and chicken hot dogs, typically contain curing agents and other unhealthy additives.

Bilchik noted that consuming red meat with vegetables may mitigate some of the health hazards associated with it.

He suggested that it may not just be poultry that warrants a closer look. “We also need to explore other sources of protein, such as fish. [It] may be prepared in a similar way to poultry.”

“I think the study is very provocative given that we’ve moved toward poultry as being much healthier for us, and moved away from red meat,” Bilchik added.

Routhenstein recommended focusing on the overall quality of diet, including “portion size, what you are pairing poultry with, and avoiding overconsumption.”

A healthy portion size, Routhenstein said, is around 200 grams (7 ounces) per week of lean, unprocessed poultry.

It’s also a good idea to choose healthier cooking methods like baking, steaming, or roasting without excessive added fats, which can further minimize potential health risks, she concluded.

Source link

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

EasyAlgos AI Launches to Disrupt Forex Trading Market with

EasyAlgos AI Launches to Disrupt Forex Trading Market with

Kingstown, St Vincent & The Grenadines, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a bold move that’s turning heads across the Forex market, EasyAlgos AI has officially launched, offering free access to some of the industry’s top-performing Expert Advisors (EAs) — all backed by up to 8 years of public, MyFxBook-verified live track records. Designed to democratize algorithmic trading, EasyAlgos AI challenges the

Exclusive: Ndoye agents met with Napoli today

Football Italia can exclusively confirm Napoli are progressing in their pursuit of Bologna forward Dan Ndoye and met with his agent today. We had already reported on Football Italia that Ndoye was the first choice in the wide attacking role for Antonio Conte. Advertisement It was also noted that the Switzerland international is eager to

14 Hongkongers in Israel, Iran and Jordan contact authorities amid conflict

Authorities have received inquiries from 14 Hongkongers in three Middle Eastern countries caught up in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, while a travel sector representative has said that tour groups from the city are unlikely to be in affected areas. The Immigration Department said the inquiries received from Hongkongers in Israel, Iran and Jordan were as

Who Is Sydney Leroux’s Boyfriend? Relationship History Explained

Sydney Leroux is a popular name in the field of sports as a professional soccer player. While she keeps making headlines for her professional achievements, the spotlight is now on her love life, with many curious to know if she is seeing anyone at the moment. So, who is Sydney Leroux’s boyfriend, and what is

Redmi K Pad specs leak ahead of launch

Redmi K Pad is set to launch in China soon as the brand’s first compact tablet and we now have some additional leaked specs for the device. The info comes from leakster Bald Panda who holds a solid track record, and it details the K Pad’s screen, battery, dimensions and color options.

Meet DailyForex Senior Analyst, Huzefa Hamid, MoneyShow

Meet DailyForex Senior Analyst, Huzefa Hamid, MoneyShow

By DailyForex Press Release Created on June 17, 2025 DailyForex.com is pleased to announce that our Senior Analyst, Huzefa Hamid, will be speaking at the prestigious The MoneyShow Las Vegas 2025, taking place between July 15th and 17th, at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. Reserve your spot, and attend Huzefa’s Masterclass, titled Trading Forex Successfully,

歌聲魅影

醫生之中,有不少朋友都喜愛這個musical《歌聲魅影》(The Phantom of the Opera)。 當女神出現的時候,男主角叫Andrew安德魯韋伯,女神是Sarah,莎拉布萊曼。最初,男主角已經擁有Sarah,他的前妻;而女神,也有另一半,也叫Andrew。 這樣的布局,已幾乎肯定有一番不得了的錯體愛恨纏綿。就這樣,男主角有如繆思附體,為這天使的聲音寫下一首又一首的歌曲,彷如為了這天使的降臨,度身訂做;也許這些音符,本身便是屬於女神的。 劇院吊燈跌下來的時候,不少人就此迷上《The Phantom of the Opera》。每個人都情不自禁地代入戲中:也許,我會是Sarah,那樣地受到所有人的憐愛,無論正派的Raoul,或是反派Phantom;我是那樣的天真無邪,等待我的真命天子來臨,把我全然奉上;他會是如此貼服地了解我,Think of Me把我的潛能發展出來。即使我任性背叛時,也絕不會把我傷害。 也許,我會是Phantom,在黑暗和缺陷的背後,擁有為人所不知的法力,讓人飛揚:最重要的是,即使我是如此醜陋,我仍擁有過受萬人愛慕的女神;我的自私和邪惡,是因為我的愛;也得到全世界的可憐。 《歌聲魅影》受人傳頌的故事,開啟了現實的世界觀眾想像之門,彌補了現實中的缺陷和不足。就算自卑的男人,也許會像Phantom一樣等待能有這一天,在生命中會出現這樣的Angel of Music。 撰文 : 侯鈞翔 欄名 : 膚識翔談 Source link

vivo Poland is hinting at a potential European launch of the X200 FE

A reader from Poland contacted us with an interesting observation – vivo Poland has been busy promoting the V50 and V50 Lite on Facebook, but it has been dropping hints that an even more interesting launch may be around the corner. Krzysztof Pl asked about the vivo X200 Pro mini and vivo responded (machine translated):

World’s most liveable cities for 2025

CNN  —  It’s official. Vienna is no longer the most liveable city in the world. After a three-year run at the top of the annual list from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the Austrian capital has been beaten out by “Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen.” Denmark’s capital has taken the number one spot on the ranking of

Clayface DCU Movie Enlists The Gentlemen Star For Lead Role

DC Studios has finally unveiled the first major cast member for its upcoming Clayface DC Universe movie. Production is expected to begin later this year at Warner Bros.’ Leavesden studio in the UK, just in time for its September 11, 2026 theatrical release. Who is leading the Clayface DCU movie? Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries

Redmi shares official images of the K80 Ultra, confirms some specs

Redmi’s upcoming top of the line device, the K80 Ultra, has been officially showcased by the brand in the renders you can see below. It will be unveiled on June 18 alongside the Redmi K Pad. Redmi K80 Ultra official images The brand has also confirmed the fact that the

FBS Celebrates 10th Award in 2025 for Client-Centric Excellence

FBS wins 10th award in 2025 for client-focused excellence

With ten accolades this year, FBS reinforces its reputation as a trader-first global platform. SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 June 2025 – FBS, a leading global broker, has once again proven its commitment to traders by earning its tenth award this year — the “Best Client-Centric Broker, Asia, 2025” title from Global Brands

A Review of “Robusta/Canephora” by Mikolaj Pociecha

Mikolaj Pociecha continues his exploration of all things canephora with his latest book. Today, we share an overview and exclusive review of the recent release. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Mikolaj Pociecha Mikolaj Pociecha is a household name for anyone interested in finding out more about the canephora coffee species. A barista, roaster, and writer, Mikolaj published a

Amazon Prime Day will be twice as long this year, starts on July 8

Amazon Prime Day will double up on the deals this year and it will last four days – last year it was only two days. Amazon’s biggest deal event will start on July 8 and will end on July 11 (that is Tuesday through Friday a few weeks from now). As usual, we will keep

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x