A dramatic fall in the consumption of processed meat such as bacon and ham would stop around 3,700 people a year from developing bowel cancer, scientists warn today.

Professor Martin Wiseman, scientific and medical adviser to the World Cancer Research Fund, said: "The evidence on processed meat is convincing and our scientists estimate that up to about 3,700 cases of bowel cancer could be prevented every year in the UK if everyone ate less than 70g of processed meat a week, which is roughly the equivalent of three rashers of bacon."

According to the WCRF, people should ideally eat no processed meat at all in order to minimise their cancer risk.

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK. Around 36,500 people, 45% of whom are women, are diagnosed with it annually. Half die within five years. It is the second most lethal cancer, in terms of numbers, claiming around 16,000 lives each year. It is also the second most common form of cancer affecting women.

Although alcohol, obesity and physical inactivity also cause bowel cancer, growing scientific evidence has identified consumption of red and processed meat as a risk factor. Cancer Research UK recently warned that the number of people diagnosed was likely to rise to 46,000 a year by 2024. The charity said consuming less red and processed meat, cutting down on alcohol, staying slim and eating plenty of fibre, fruit and vegetables could prevent as many as 12,000 cases a year by 2024.

A WCRF poll out today, conducted by YouGov, found that just 32% of 2,249 people questioned knew that eating processed meat heightened the risk of cancer.

But Chris Lamb, of BPEX, which represents the English pig industry, said: "The consumer very much understands that the major causes of cancer are smoking, alcohol, obesity and lack of exercise."