Important to point out Link to cancer

I am writing in response to your editorial criticising World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) for urging parents not to put ham and other processed meats in their children's lunchboxes. Firstly, it is not correct to say the evidence linking processed meat with cancer is limited. In fact, as part of our 2007 report, an independent panel of 21 world-renowned international scientists evaluated the wealth of scientific data on this issue and agreed the evidence processed meat increases risk of cancer was convincing. WCRF does not recommend diets with no meat, but it does recommend limiting intake of red meat to no more than 500g (cooked weight) per week and, with processed meat, we advise people to avoid it. Scientists estimate about 10% of UK bowel cancer cases could be prevented if everyone ate less than 70g of processed meat a week. We issue a number of press releases about the links between diet, physical activity and body weight and cancer to try to raise public awareness. As well as processed and red meat, we have done the same for our other messages, such as body fat and alcohol.Even after the recent coverage, only 40% of people are aware that eating processed meat increases the risk of cancer. It is important to increase awareness of the link, so that as many people as possible have the information they need to make their own informed choices.