Often hailed as one of the cleanest, leanest and healthiest protein options on the menu, chicken is one of the most universally-loved ingredients around the world, featuring prominently in almost every cuisine imaginable. 

But now, new research is forcing experts to question the health claims surrounding chicken, with concerning findings linking the popular poultry to an increased chance of developing gastrointestinal cancer. 

According to the Australian Chicken Meat Federation, Aussies consume roughly 50kg of chicken a year, with 70 per cent of households serving the poultry at least twice a week. This hefty number accounts for nearly half of all meat consumed annually by Australians. 

Given its popularity in Aussie homes, the recent research linking chicken consumption to gastrointestinal cancers and all-cause mortality is particularly concerning. 

But before you rid your fridge of any roast chooks, chicken breasts or frozen nuggets, let’s unpack the study’s findings, 

Published in the journal Nutrients, the study, conducted in southern Italy, has linked an increased weekly consumption of the popular poultry to an increased risk of all-cause mortality. 

In participants who exceeded the weekly consumption guidelines, eating more than 300g of poultry, researchers observed a 27 per cent higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to participants who consumed moderate amounts. 

Additionally, the study’s findings link poultry consumption to an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancers by 2.3 per cent, or 2.6 per cent in men.

Should we stop eating chicken?

With chicken being such a staple protein across most worldly cuisines, especially in the Mediterranean region where this study was conducted, the results of the research are understandably alarming. 

But as one expert explains, while the statistics shared by this study are indeed concerning, the results as a whole are more observational in nature than definitive, with many influencing factors not being addressed or controlled by the researchers. 

In other words, the link between increased rates of gastrointestinal cancer and participants who consumed chicken may be more of a coincidence than a direct cause. 

The broader body of evidence existing in the scientific and medical communities still supports moderate poultry consumption, considering it a staple part of a balanced diet. 

“Studies show that the development of cancer from one person to another is complex and encompasses multiple factors, including but not limited to genetics, environment, diet, physical activity, exposure to toxins, and even age and inflammation,” Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Dept of Department of Wellness & Preventive Medicine in Cleveland, tells Medical News Today.

“Therefore, we need to look at any study and try to assess how it can be translated to our lifestyle.”

How a poultry is processed and cooked may also greatly influence its impact on a person’s health, which this study fails to unpack and distinguish. 

For example, an organic poached chicken breast and ultraprocessed fried chicken pieces, while both are considered ‘chicken’, are wildly different in their health associations, with the latter posing far greater health risks when consumed regularly. 

Additionally, the way in which chicken or other poultry is prepared can greatly increase or impede its ability to be a healthy food source, with popular preparation ingredients such as seed oils, additives and spices potentially causing the increased risk of cancer highlighted by the study, not the chicken itself. 

“When poultry is grilled, fried, or cooked at high temperatures, it can form compounds like heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which have been linked to cancer risk,” explains Wael Harb, MD, board certified hematologist and medical oncologist based in Orange County, CA, to Medical News Today.

“However, these compounds also occur in red meat and processed meats, so the issue may lie more in cooking methods than the type of meat itself.”

How much chicken is safe to consume?

Given the observational nature of the study and its inability to clearly distinguish between different sources of poultry, experts are not convinced the findings accurately reflect a cancer or mortality risk worth taking seriously. 

Instead, the wider body of research still supports up to 300g of adult consumption of poultry per week.

If you have a family history of cancer or are trying to make more health-conscious dietary decisions, adjusting your poultry consumption to 200g per week may be beneficial, as well as incorporating more legumes, fish and plant proteins.