The Claim

Consumption of smoked and salted fish is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer in adults, with a relative risk of 2.58, as observed in dietary data from 9,985 Finnish adults followed for up to 24 years.

Source: Risk of colorectal and other gastro‐intestinal cancers after exposure to nitrate, nitrite and N‐nitroso compounds: a follow‐up study

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
47score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Correlation
1 study reviewed
In plain English

Eating a lot of smoked and salted fish might raise your chances of getting colon cancer later in life, based on a long-term study of Finnish adults.

See the scientific wording

Intake of smoked and salted fish is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer in adults, with a relative risk of 2.58, based on dietary data from 9,985 Finnish adults followed for up to 24 years.

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: Risk of colorectal and other gastro‐intestinal cancers after exposure to nitrate, nitrite and N‐nitroso compounds: a follow‐up study

    The study looked at the same food and same people as the claim and found that eating smoked and salted fish does increase the risk of colorectal cancer, just as stated.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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