This week, not one but two children’s hospitals have removed processed meat hot dogs from their patient cafeterias. Riley Hospital for Children in Indiana and Kentucky Children’s Hospital have made a move toward more healthful, plant-based options, after receiving a letter from The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
In the letter, PCRM advised the hospital’s CEOs that hot dogs and other processed meats pose a significant health risk to children. Hot dogs rank as the number one choking hazard for children, and they have been linked to an increased risk of colon and breast cancer.
“Riley Hospital for Children and Kentucky Children’s Hospital are becoming leaders in preventing diet-related diseases by providing tasty, plant-based options and removing hot dogs from patient menus,” said Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., director of nutrition education for PCRM. The organization represents a committee of over twelve thousand doctors worldwide, all working together to promote plant-based prevention in the medical field.
PCRM also contacted the Indiana and Kentucky state health authorities, successfully negotiating advertisements to warn constituents about the “#HazardousHotDogs.” The ads will be displayed in public areas surrounding the hospitals, such as bus shelters.
This latest success is one of many prompted by PCRM. In June 2017, the organization convinced The American Medical Association (AMA) to issue a policy urging medical centers to remove all processed meat from their kitchens. The AMA complied, due to the strong scientific evidence linking cancer and processed meat. Additionally, the World Health Organization has also warned against consumption of processed meat, claiming it is “carcinogenic to humans”, even in small doses.
Riley Hospital for Children and Kentucky Children’s Hospital join the ranks of other medical facilities opting for more plant-based options. Last year, both Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the University of Mississippi Medical Center removed hot dogs from its menus. PCRM is continuing its efforts to revolutionize medical cafeterias by calling for less processed meat and more plant-based options.
Image Credit: Shuttershock | PCRM
