A new study of over 197,000 people in the United Kingdom, over half of whom were women, found that eating more ultraprocessed foods increases the risk of developing and dying from cancer, particularly ovarian cancer.
Foods that have been overly processed include prepackaged soups, sauces, frozen pizza, and ready-to-eat meals, as well as hot dogs, sausages, french fries, sodas, store-bought cookies, cakes, candies, doughnuts, and ice cream.
Dr. Kiara Chang, a National Institute for Health and Care Research fellow at Imperial College London’s School of Public Health, said in a statement, “Ultra-processed foods are produced with industrially derived ingredients and frequently use food additives to adjust color, flavor, consistency, and texture, or to extend shelf life.”
Chang stated, “Our bodies may not react the same way to these ultra-processed ingredients and additives as they do to fresh, nutrient-dense foods that have been minimally processed.”
People who consume more ultra-processed foods also tend to “drink more carbonated beverages and less tea and coffee, as well as less vegetables and other foods associated with a healthy dietary pattern,” according to Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and senior teaching fellow at Aston Medical College in Birmingham, UK.
According to Mellor, who was not involved in the study, “this could indicate that it is not necessarily a result of the ultra-processed foods themselves, but rather the result of a lower consumption of healthier foods.”
increased risk with increased consumption
The 10-year study, published on Tuesday in the journal eClinicalMedicine, examined the relationship between consuming ultraprocessed foods and 34 different types of cancer.
Researchers analyzed data on the dietary habits of 197,426 individuals who participated in the UK Biobank, a large biomedical database and research resource that tracked residents from 2006 to 2010.
The amount of ultraprocessed foods consumed by participants ranged from 9.1% to 41.4% of their diet, according to the study.
The researchers then compared dietary patterns with cancer-related diagnoses and deaths recorded in medical records.
Imperial College London found that each 10% increase in ultraprocessed food consumption was associated with a 2% increase in the risk of developing any cancer and a 19% increase in the risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
The study found an increase in cancer-related deaths. According to the statement, for every 10% increase in ultraprocessed food consumption, the risk of dying from any cancer increased by 6%, while the risk of dying from ovarian cancer increased by 30%.
The authors wrote, “These associations persisted after adjusting for a variety of socio-demographic, smoking status, physical activity, and key dietary factors.”
According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks fifth among cancer-related deaths among women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.
Simon Steenson, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, a charity partially supported by food producers and manufacturers, said, “The findings add to previous studies showing an association between a higher proportion of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in the diet and a higher risk of obesity, heart attacks, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.” The new study did not involve Steenson.
“However, an important limitation of these previous studies and the new analysis published today is that the results are observational and therefore do not provide evidence of a clear causal link between UPFs and cancer or the risk of other diseases,” Steenson wrote in an email.
Collecting evidence
Chang and her colleagues wrote that those who consumed the most ultraprocessed foods were younger and less likely to have a family history of cancer.
High ultraprocessed food consumers were less likely to engage in physical activity and more likely to be categorized as obese. The study found that these individuals were also likely to have lower household incomes, lower levels of education, and reside in the most disadvantaged communities.
In a statement, Dr. Eszter Vamos, the study’s lead author and clinical senior lecturer at Imperial College London’s School of Public Health, said, “This study adds to the growing evidence that ultra-processed foods are likely to negatively impact our health, including our risk for cancer.”
This is not the first study to demonstrate a link between a high intake of ultraprocessed foods and cancer.
A 2022 study examined the diets of over 200,000 men and women in the United States for up to 28 years and found a link between ultraprocessed foods and colorectal cancer in men, but not in women. Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States.
In addition, “literally hundreds of studies” link ultraprocessed foods to obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality, according to Marion Nestle, emerita professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University.
While the new study from the United Kingdom cannot prove causation, only an association, “other available evidence indicates that reducing our consumption of ultra-processed foods could provide significant health benefits,” Vamos said.
She added, “Further research is required to confirm these findings and determine the most effective public health strategies to reduce the pervasive presence and harmful effects of ultra-processed foods in our diet.”
