The World Health Organization released a report Monday on the dangers of hot dogs, bacon and other processed meats. It came the day before Major League Baseball's World Series, one of many U.S. events synonymous with the consumption of encased meats and other foods on the lists. Following are some figures detailing the nation's love affair with meat.
— Sales of fresh and processed meats reached $25.5 billion in the year ending Aug. 22, up 5.1 percent from the same period a year before, according to research firm The Nielsen Company.
— More than 18.5 million hot dogs and nearly 4.2 million sausages were expected to be eaten at baseball parks during the 2015 MLB season, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.
— Los Angeles residents were the biggest consumers of hot dogs last year, followed by New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Chicago, according to the NHDSC.
— In peak hot dog season — which runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day — Americans typically eat 7 billion hot dogs, according to the NHDSC.