A Study Revealed How Ultra-Processed Foods Are Linked To Cancer

The BMJ study found that men who consumed high rates of ultra-processed foods had a 29% greater risk of developing colorectal cancer than those who ate the least ultra-processed foods (via Tufts University). In 2022, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women (via American Cancer Society).

According to Harvard Medical School, ultra-processed foods typically contain many added ingredients, such as sugar, salt, fat, and artificial preservatives. These foods can include pre-prepared frozen dinners, soda, hot dogs, cold cuts, packaged cookies, fast food, and salty snacks. The study also identified certain ultra-processed foods that can put both men and women at heightened risk of colorectal cancer. For men, meat, poultry, seafood-based ready-to-eat meals, and sugar-sweetened beverages were the worst offenders, whereas ready-to-eat and heat-mixed dishes were the main culprits increasing women’s risk (per MedicalNewsToday).

While previous studies had examined processed foods’ link to a higher risk of colorectal cancer, this was the first to investigate ultra-processed foods’ connection. The comprehensive study involved more than 200,000 participants over the course of more than 25 years. Every four years, respondents’ answers to questionnaires about their dietary intake and how often they consumed approximately 130 different foods were analyzed. 

Although it found a clear link in men, the research did not discover a correlation between women eating higher amounts of ultra-processed foods and an increased overall risk of developing colorectal cancer.