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Claim: A Facebook user, Nosaemmanieel Zeus, claims hot dogs cause cancer.
Verdict: True. Experts say too much intake of hot dogs can cause cancer.
Full Text
On July 30, 2025, a Facebook user, Nosaemmanieel Zeus, shared a warning post: “Slow down the consumption of this. Cancer is not a joke!”
As of Aug. 18, 2025, the post had attracted 35 comments, with users expressing alarm and urging others to avoid the product altogether.
One commenter, Victoria White, wrote: “My former boss and her husband are medical doctors, but that’s their kids’ breakfast every morning with bread and egg. You can carry three packs out of the fridge without her noticing, to tell how much they stock these things.”
Another user, Temitope Archibong, pleaded: “Stop it, kpatakpata o.”
Similarly, Annabel John reacted strongly to the advice to “slow down,” saying: “Which one is slow down… Stop eating completely.”
DUBAWA decided to fact-check the claim because hot dogs are a popular staple snack among Nigerians, and the claim that they could cause cancer has serious public health implications capable of causing panic and influencing consumer behaviour.
Verification
A hot dog, sometimes called a frankfurter or wiener, is a type of cooked sausage traditionally made from beef, pork, or a blend of the two, though poultry versions using chicken or turkey also exist. Typically nestled inside a split bun, it is widely enjoyed as a casual snack or street food. The name “hot dog” may refer to just the sausage or the sausage served in the bun as a complete sandwich.
The World Health Organization (WHO), however, warned that consuming processed meats such as hot dogs and bacon can increase the risk of developing colon, stomach, and other forms of cancer.
This follows a review conducted by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which analysed more than 800 studies worldwide. According to the findings, eating just 50 grams of processed meat per day raises the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 per cent. Consequently, the IARC has classified processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans,” placing it in the same risk category as tobacco and asbestos.
Fresh concerns were raised in a July 2025 report published in MedicalNewsToday, which indicated that even small amounts of processed meat could increase the likelihood of developing serious health problems such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
The study revealed that individuals who consumed one hot dog daily had an 11 per cent higher risk of type 2 diabetes and a seven per cent increased risk of colorectal cancer compared with those who avoided processed meat altogether. Researchers also stated that there appears to be no safe consumption level for processed meat.
Colorectal cancer is noted as the leading cause of cancer deaths among people who do not smoke, with dietary habits, particularly high intake of processed meats, identified as a major preventable factor. According to the Global Burden of Disease Project, around 34,000 deaths each year worldwide are linked to diets rich in processed meats, compared to approximately one million deaths from tobacco use, 600,000 from alcohol, and 200,000 from exposure to air pollution.
What do experts say?
The Chief Clinical Coordinator at the Medserve Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH Cancer Centre, Dr Habeebu Muhammad Yaqub, cautioned Nigerians against eating hot dogs regularly, noting that the processed meat could increase cancer risk when consumed as a staple.
“Hot dogs are processed foods that can increase the risk of cancer if taken as a staple,” Dr Yaqub said.
Also, a dietician, Shoretire Micheal, explained that processed meats often contain preservatives, chemicals, and additives used to extend shelf life, which can be harmful when consumed excessively.
“Hot dog is a processed meat, and because of the preservatives and chemicals used to prolong its shelf life, it may enhance the possibility of causing cancer,” he said. “Any processed food, especially those of animal origin, can cause cancer when taken in excessive amounts over a long time.”
He added that while nitrates are naturally found in some plants, their effect in processed meats is more concerning.
“In the case of hot dogs, it is strongly supported that they possibly cause colorectal cancer and other forms of cancer, depending on an individual’s health status before prolonged intake,” Shoretire cautioned.
The dietician noted that occasional consumption is less likely to cause harm if balanced with healthier foods such as legumes and leafy vegetables.
“If it is taken in small amounts and at intervals with other healthy food sources, like legumes and green leafy plants that contain antioxidants, those effects can be neutralised,” he said.
Shoretire emphasised that people who rely heavily on processed foods may unknowingly overload their bodies with chemicals. “Most of these preservatives are chemicals, and some have side effects even written on their packages. When taken in excessive quantities, they overpower the body’s defence system and other conditions may erupt from it,” he warned.
Also, clinical dietician Abasianie Udo-Umo, founder of The Lagos Dietitian Consultancy, acknowledged that several scientific studies have linked processed meats to increased cancer risk. However, she clarified that occasional consumption is unlikely to cause harm.
“Even though studies show that processed meats can be carcinogenic, the frequency of consumption is key,” she said. “For example, if someone eats one piece of hot dog once or twice a month, I don’t think it will have much of an effect. It is the recurring consumption in large quantities that makes this claim legitimate.”
Conclusion
While hot dogs remain a popular fast food, scientific evidence shows that frequent consumption of processed meats like hot dogs can increase the risk of colorectal and other cancers. Health experts also stressed that the danger lies not in occasional indulgence, but in making such foods a regular part of one’s diet. However, the claim that hot dogs cause cancer is true.
