Poultry Lovers Beware! New Research Shows Chicken Consumption May Raise Your Risk of Deadly Gut Cancers!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Apr 19, 2025 10 hours, 11 minutes ago
Health News: A new Italian study has sent shockwaves through the health community with findings that challenge the common belief that poultry is a healthier alternative to red meat. Researchers have discovered that eating more than 300 grams of chicken or other poultry per week may significantly increase the risk of death from gastrointestinal cancers, especially among men.
New Study Shows Chicken Consumption May Raise Your Risk of Deadly Gut Cancers!
The study covered in this
Thailand Health News report, was conducted by scientists from the Unit of Data Science, the Core Facility Biobank, and the Scientific Direction at the National Institute of Gastroenterology—IRCCS “Saverio de Bellis” in Castellana Grotte, Italy. The results are raising serious concerns over dietary habits in modern populations that have increasingly shifted towards high poultry consumption.
Large Cohort Study Reveals Alarming Trends
The study followed 4,869 adults from southern Italy over nearly two decades, collecting data through two major population-based cohorts, MICOL and NUTRIHEP. Using detailed dietary questionnaires and national mortality databases, researchers assessed participants’ weekly meat intake and its correlation with all-cause and gastrointestinal cancer-related deaths.
The participants were grouped based on how much meat they consumed weekly. For poultry, categories ranged from under 100 grams to over 300 grams per week. The findings were startling: individuals consuming over 300 grams of poultry weekly had a 27 percent higher risk of dying from any cause compared to those who ate less than 100 grams. But the risk of death from gastrointestinal cancers more than doubled—an increase of 127 percent—with a Subdistribution Hazard Ratio (SHR) of 2.27.
Men faced an even higher risk. In males who consumed more than 300 grams of poultry weekly, the risk of dying from gastrointestinal cancer was over 2.6 times higher than those who consumed less.
Why Poultry Might Be Riskier Than You Think
The research challenges decades of health advice that promoted poultry as a lean and safe meat option. However, this study suggests the problem may not lie solely in the meat itself, but rather in how it is produced, processed, and cooked.
Much of the poultry consumed today comes from industrial farming practices, which may involve hormone use, altered animal feed, and exposure to environmental toxins. Moreover, popular cooking methods like grilling, frying, and stewing at high temperatures can form cancer-causing substances known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and N-nitroso compounds (NOCs). These substances have long been linked to DNA damage and cancer risk.
The study also emphasized that even participants who followed the Mediterranean diet—a dietary pattern known for its health benefits—still faced increased risks if their poultry consumption was high. This highlights that the way food is prepared and consumed plays a critical role, potentially overriding the protective effects of an oth
erwise healthy diet.
Sex and Age Differences Add Another Layer of Risk
The increased risk was not evenly spread across the population. Men showed greater vulnerability to poultry-associated cancer mortality than women. The researchers speculate this could be due to sex-specific biological responses, such as hormonal influences or differences in gut microbiota. Additionally, age played a significant role. While the effects were minimal around age 60, by age 83—average for deaths in this cohort—the probability of gastrointestinal cancer mortality was twice as high in heavy poultry consumers.
At age 83, men who ate over 300 grams of poultry weekly had an 8 percent risk of death from gastrointestinal cancers, compared to just 3 percent in those who consumed less than 100 grams. For the general population, the risk was 6 percent versus 3 percent respectively.
Time to Rethink Poultry Portions
This study is one of the first to comprehensively examine the long-term effects of poultry consumption on gastrointestinal cancer mortality using a competing risk analysis. While more research is needed to confirm these findings, especially regarding processed poultry and cooking methods, the implications are clear.
For now, experts urge moderation. Poultry can still be part of a balanced diet, but high intake—especially over 300 grams per week—should be approached with caution. Replacing some portions with fish or plant-based proteins, and avoiding high-temperature cooking methods, could help mitigate the risks.
Conclusion
The idea that chicken is always the healthier meat choice is being seriously challenged. This extensive study from Italy clearly shows that higher poultry intake is associated with a significant increase in the risk of dying from gastrointestinal cancers. The danger is especially pronounced in men and older adults. While the exact biological mechanisms remain under investigation, the findings should prompt a global re-evaluation of poultry consumption habits and health guidelines. For optimal health, moderation and informed cooking practices are key to reducing risk. Future studies will be essential in clarifying the links between poultry, processing, and cancer development.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Nutrients.
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/8/1370
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