NASCAR fans making their way to this weekend’s Brickyard 400 will have the opportunity to view a giant reminder of the hazards hot dogs pose to their health.
Non-profit organization Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has sponsored a billboard located at 3612 W. 16th St. near the Indianapolis Speedway that features a pack of hot dogs—think cigarette pack— with an imposing image of a skull and cross bones and the clever statement “Warning: Hot dogs can wreck your health.” Considering last year more than 1.1 million hot dogs were served during races at the iconic venue and the eye opening fact that ingesting only 50 grams of processed meat per day (about 1 hot dog) raises the chances of developing colorectal cancer by 21%, the message couldn’t be any more relevant.
“A hot dog a day could send you to an early grave,” explains PCRM nutrition education director Susan Levin, M.S., R.D. “Processed meats like hot dogs can increase your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and various types of cancer. Like cigarettes, hot dogs should come with a warning label that helps racing fans and other consumers understand the health risk.”
Eric Fortney | Facebook |@elfortney | emailEric is the co-founder and executive editor of the animal rights and eco-friendly news source, This Dish Is Veg. In addition to his work at TDIV, Eric is a father of three, runner, and lover of the outdoors.
Photo credits:cc:flickr.com/photos/pleeker and PCRM
