Answer: Hot dogs
Clues: “Frank” and “Furter”
A Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine/Morning Consult survey finds that while nearly half of Americans say they eat hot dogs two or three times each month, nearly 90% say they are unsure or unaware of the specific health risks associated with the consumption of processed meat.
The poll included 2,201 U.S. adults surveyed June 22-24, 2026. When asked, “In the past 12 months, approximately how frequently have you eaten at least one hot dog?” 59% answered daily to once per month. When asked “What, if any, health risks are there from eating hot dogs?” 40% said “I don’t know of any health risks from eating hot dogs.”
An estimated 150 million hot dogs are consumed on Independence Day alone, enough to stretch from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles more than five times, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.
The World Health Organization has determined that consuming processed meat, such as hot dogs, increases the risk of colorectal cancer and has classified it as “carcinogenic to humans.” The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research say that “there is strong evidence” that consumption of processed meat causes colorectal cancer.