Sausage and bacon for breakfast increases heart risks

Processed meats, such as bacon and sausages, are already linked to a higher chance of developing bowel cancer, but a round-up of worldwide research has shown a link with other conditions.

A review by the Harvard School of Public Health in the United States found people who eat processed meats have a 42 per cent higher risk of heart disease and a 19 per cent increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.

However, unprocessed red meats, such as beef, pork or lamb, do not raise the risk.

Lead researcher Renata Micha said: "When we looked at average nutrients in unprocessed red and processed meats we found that they contained similar average amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol.

"In contrast, processed meats contained, on average, four times more sodium and 50 per cent more nitrate preservatives.

"This suggests that differences in salt and preservatives, rather than fats, might explain the higher risk of heart disease and diabetes seen with processed meats, but not with unprocessed red meats."

Salt is known to increase blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease.

British men eat an average of nearly 50g of processed meat a day, compared with just 24g for women, research has shown.