Korean Job Discussion Forums

[d-rail]

This may have been covered in the past so sorry if it has, but I'd like to hear people's thoughts.

For all of the health benefits from eating fremented foods and garlic, Koreans tend to have a high rate of various cancers...seems to be mostly stomach. Why does this seem to be so much more prevelant in Korea than other places i have lived?

Some might say that a consistent diet of spicy food will eventually damage the stomach lining, or cause chronic ulsers, but I have noticed something else. I have never been able to read the ingredients of gochu-jang in English until now. One of the first ingredients listed is Monosodium Glutamate. Now, I know that there is controversy as to if MSG causes cancer or not, but it would make sense that it does based on how common the red pepper paste is when compared to how common stomach cancer is among Koreans, and not only Koreans, but anyone who eats unhealthy/foods with MSG.

I know that there could be many factors when condsidering cancer; environment, genes, life style/diet, etc., but I wanted to see what people thought about the MSG in the paste that is the Korean national flavor.

[MrRogers]

here's an old thread:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=147537&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=cancer&start=15

[madoka]

I trust about 1% of what I read on Dave's. Most of the peanut gallery here is made up of nitwits.

For all the crap that Koreans get about kimchi and stomach cancer, they seem to not know Americans still have a higher overall rate of cancer. It seems the Korean diet produces stomach cancer, whereas the western diet encourages colon cancer.

Overall, without getting too technical, here are the overall cancer incidence rates per 100,000 for:

White male - 347
Black male - 437
Korean American male - 207
Korean male - 213-295

White female - 298
Black female - 261
Korean American female - 160
Korean female - 97-167

http://moffitt.org/CCJRoot/v14n1/pdf/78.pdf

I guess this just goes to show the indestructibility of Korean adjummas.

[MrRogers]

http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/11/3175.asp

[bassexpander]

There is a larger incidence of stomach cancer here, due to the spicy foods they eat. An endoscopy was part of my regular physical here, which shocked my family (which includes a few nurses) back home.

[Robot_Teacher]

While the excessive MSG is very bad, the industrial pollution from manufacturing and air pollution from vehicles and other exhausts hanging low in valleys where cities are built contributes to bad health. The excessive smoking and drinking whatever that stuff in green and brown bottles is also contributes to serious health complications. Korea is living for today only.

[Xuanzang]

Spicy food washed down with soju. EVer seen the ajeoshi works through bowls of the radish or cabbage soju and ask for 3rds? Years of that has to contribute to stomach cancer.

[Seoul'n'Corea]

[by2004]

Don't forget a higher incidence of Hep A/B/C cases that can be passed down from generation to generation. This is probably true of Koreans in their 30's and over. Liver cancer is a serious problem. Comparatively more Americans die of other cancers at a higher rate. Stress plays a big part in cancer rates. It's a stressful country to live in.

[bassexpander]

[Yaya]

Diabetes is quite common here, too.

[jdog2050]

[b-class rambler]

Excessive salt consumption is the factor I've heard mentioned most often as contributing to stomach cancer.

Most stomach cancer rate stats that I've seen list Japan as the no.1, with Korea and the UK usually in the next 2 or 3 places. Those 3 being the countries that I've spent over 90% of my life in, I suppose I should be worried. In fact, to some extent, I AM a little worried.

But you have to always keep in mind that these kinds of stats reflect the diet and lifestyle over several decades before, not necessarily present or recent trends and conditions. Also, there are so many other factors, besides diet, that can contribute to an increased cancer risk.

[Robot_Teacher]

Quoted from wikipedia.