Hot Button Issue of the Day

Hot Button Issue of the Day: The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council is battling back against what it calls an "outrageous, inflammatory" billboard that claims hot dogs "cause butt cancer."

The sign, which recently went up in Chicago on the Eisenhower Expressway is part of a larger awareness campaign by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, an advocacy group composed of doctors, dietitians, and nutritionists, that opposes the "unethical" treatment of animals and promotes a diet free of meat.

"Colon cancer is a killer, and processed meats get much of the blame," said PCRM nutrition education director Susan Levin. Not surprisingly, Hot Dog Council president Janet M. Riley disagrees.

"Hot dogs are a great Chicago tradition and part of a healthy, balanced diet," she said, adding that asking doctors, dietitians, or consulting the U.S. Dietary Guidelines will confirm he position.

Unfortunately for Riley, the billboard's timing could not be better, as far as the PCRM are concerned. A comprehensive study released this week by the Harvard School of Public Health found that consuming red meat on a daily basis increased risk of an untimely demise by as much as 13 percent.

[nbcchicago / msnbc.]