A hot dog shortens your life by 36 minutes, a study says

A hot dog shortens your life by 36 minutes, a study says

A recent study suggests that eating just one hot dog could shorten your life expectancy by 36 minutes. Yes, enjoying a hot dog could be one of life's simple pleasures, despite its questionable nutritional value. But the numbers are hard to ignore and come from a comprehensive study published in the journal Nature Food.

In this study, researchers examined the effects of 5,853 foods on both human health and the environment. The analysis shows that even small changes in your diet can have a significant impact on your health and your carbon footprint.

The study's authors, Olivier Jolliet and Katerina Stylianou, explain: "Replacing just 10 percent of daily calorie intake from beef and processed meat with a diverse mix of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and selected seafood could reduce calorie intake." On average, a U.S. consumer’s dietary carbon footprint decreases by a third and adds 48 healthy minutes of life per day.” They claim that such a significant improvement can be achieved with even a small change in diet.

The researchers calculated the health score using a nutritional index known as the Health Nutritional Index, developed in collaboration with nutritionist and study co-author Victor Fulgoni III. This index uses data from the Global Burden of Disease, a large epidemiological study that compiles over thirty years of data from every country in the world. The study quantifies various health, lifestyle and environmental factors, including 15 nutritional aspects, and measures the relative harm they cause.

Using this extensive data, researchers calculated the health effects, positive or negative, of thousands of foods in minutes of life. For example, a hot dog has been found to shorten life expectancy by 36 minutes, while a serving of cucumber can potentially increase life expectancy by about ten minutes.

The analysis was not limited to health effects. The researchers also took environmental factors into account using a method called IMPACT World+. This method measures the life cycle impact of food, taking into account aspects such as production, processing, preparation, consumption, waste, water use and the impact of pollution on health. The team used 18 environmental indicators to evaluate and rank the different foods.

After combining these two metrics – health impact and environmental impact – the researchers categorized the foods into three color-coded zones: red, yellow and green. These categories represent “stop” (e.g. processed meats with high environmental and nutritional costs), “proceed with caution” (e.g. gummy bears with a low carbon footprint and minimal nutritional impact), and “go through” (nuts, fruits). , field vegetables, legumes, whole grains and some seafood).

The researchers hope that their findings will make the often polarized discussion about environmentally conscious and healthy eating a little more subtle. While analysis shows that vegan options tend to perform better, a complete diet change is not the only solution.
The authors note: "Previous studies have often reduced their results to a discussion of plant vs. animal foods. [But] there are significant differences in both plant and animal foods."

Another good reason to give up the hot dog

According to Food Revolution.org, “The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified processed meats such as hot dogs as Group 1 carcinogens.” What does that mean? Group 1 carcinogens are a category of substances for which there is the strongest evidence that they are carcinogenic in humans. Other things that fall into this category include tobacco and asbestos.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) conducted a review of over 800 studies from 10 different countries to examine the link between processed meat consumption and colorectal cancer. Researchers found that eating 50 grams of processed meat daily or just one hot dog can increase the risk of colon cancer by 18%.

A child's risk of developing a brain tumor if they eat one hot dog a week is seven times higher than the risk of developing a brain tumor if they regularly use a cell phone. Eating hot dogs also increases the risk of leukemia in children by 950%.

Eating processed meat has also been shown to increase the risk of bladder, breast and stomach cancer.

Given these findings, it might be time to rethink our relationship with the humble hot dog. Although its savory appeal is undeniable, the cost it imposes on our health and the environment is significant. By occasionally skipping the hot dog or at least limiting it in our diet, we can actively contribute to our well-being and the health of the planet. We don't have to give it up completely, but switching to more sustainable and healthy options like plant-based sausages or other protein-rich legumes can make a significant difference. Ultimately, our diet choices are not just about satisfying our cravings, but also about making informed choices that benefit our health and the world we live in.

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