THE BACON SANDWICH SCARE

THE HYPE When experts from the World Cancer Research Fund warned that bacon should be off the menu, it was the final straw for many people. After reviewing the research, the experts decided that the links between processed meat, such as bacon, ham, and salami, and bowel cancer were so strong that they couldn't recommend a safe level. Red meat didn't escape blame-it was also linked to a higher risk of bowel cancer-but the experts recognized that there are health benefits in eating meat, so recommended that people limit the amount they consume to 500 grams of cooked meat (roughly two large steaks) a week.

THE REALITY You needn't ban bacon completely-or assume that what you've eaten will harm you. "Many other parts of your diet and lifestyle can affect the risk of bowel cancer," says Ed Young of Cancer Research UK. Lack of exercise, being overweight, and a high-fat, low-veggie diet are also important in bowel-cancer risk.

- Know your risk. One in 20 of us will develop bowel cancer, though your risk may be higher if you have a family history or are very inactive, for example. If you have other risk factors, you might choose to avoid processed meats.

- The bacon ban grabbed the headlines, but the report also found that we should all try to be as lean as possible and take more exercise to cut our risk of cancer.