Association between meat consumption and cancer mortality in Korean adults

Background Evidence regarding the association between meat consumption and cancer mortality remains inconsistent. Most previous studies have focused on total or red meat intake and cancer incidence, with limited data on cancer-specific mortality in Asian populations. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the associations between the consumption of various meat types and site-specific cancer mortality among Korean adults. Methods We analyzed data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES), a large population-based cohort in South Korea. Meat intake was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires and categorized into total meat and specific subtypes. Cancer-specific mortality was ascertained through national death registry linkage. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for major demographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors, with sex-specific and stratified analyses. Results Total meat consumption was not significantly associated with overall cancer mortality in either men or women. However, sex-specific associations were observed according to meat subtype. Among men, higher red meat consumption was inversely associated with gastric cancer mortality. Among women, higher organ meat consumption was associated with increased pancreatic and breast cancer mortality, with stronger associations observed among women with lower body mass index, older age, and never-smoking status. Conclusion In this study, total meat intake was not associated with overall cancer mortality, whereas cancer-specific associations differed by meat subtype and sex. These findings suggest that detailed characterization of meat consumption may be important for understanding cancer mortality patterns in Asian populations.