Red meat and processed red meat consumption behaviour of healthcare professionals: do they participate in the World Health Organization's view of red meat carcasses and red meat carcinogens?

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the consumption behaviours of healthcare professionals in relation to red meat and processed red meat products.

Design: This study included a questionnaire conducted through face-to-face interviews with 149 health professionals. The purpose of the questionnaire was to determine the extent to which health professionals agreed with the WHO classification of red meat and processed red meat on their list of carcinogenic products.

Setting: This research was carried out in İzmir, which is Turkey's third largest city. The survey was conducted in 2016 by holding face to face interviews with forty-three specialist doctors, sixteen doctors, twelve dentists, sixty-four nurses and fourteen pharmacists.

Subjects: Nationally representative sample of healthcare professionals in Turkey.

Results: People educated in healthcare are especially cautious about the consumption of processed red meat products. The results of the research revealed the importance of processing and cooking patterns in red meat consumption preferences.

Conclusions: The consequences of the research, in terms of breaking down prejudices and overcoming the anxieties of those with health concerns who do not consume red meat, are important. In fact, the results show that healthcare professionals consume red meat, but they are more careful in their consumption of processed red meat products. This result is in line with the WHO report.

Keywords: Cancer; Consumption; Healthcare professionals; Processed red meat; Red meat; WHO.