Everything’s better with bacon, or so the saying goes, but not when it comes to hospital patients with a common lung disease.
An excessive intake of cured meats -- such as salami, chorizo and bacon -- can increase readmission to the hospital for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study by Spanish researchers.
The study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, tracked 274 COPD patients for two years after their first admission to the hospital for respiratory problems. Researchers from the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona asked patients about their usual cured meat consumption and monitored them for hospital admissions.
The results showed that people eating the equivalent of one slice of meat per day were more likely to suffer problems requiring readmission to hospital.
The researchers suggested the culprit may be nitrites in cured meats -- used as preservatives and anti-bacterial agents in the meat – that may produce a response in COPD patients.
Previous research has shown a link between the intake of cured meats and the risk of developing COPD.
COPD is a term used for a number of conditions, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis that are caused by inflammation in the lungs. They make breathing more difficult and are a major cause of disability and death.