A recent study found that higher consumption of ultraprocessed foods is associated with an increased risk of developing cancers of the upper digestive tract, including mouth, throat, and esophageal cancer. In fact, it was estimated that in 2019, 71% of the food supply in the United States was ultraprocessed food.
The study, funded by World Cancer Research Fund International, revealed that individuals who consumed 10% more ultraprocessed foods than others had a 23% higher risk of head and neck cancer and a 24% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that grows in the glands that line the insides of organs.
According to Dr. Helen Croker, this study adds to the mounting evidence linking ultraprocessed foods with an increased cancer risk. However, Dr. Ingre Huybrechts, a nutritional epidemiologist, also noted that more research and data collection are needed to fully understand this link, especially given the fact that the dietary data was collected when the consumption of ultraprocessed foods was relatively low.
Ultraprocessed foods, which include items like sodas, chips, ice cream, and more, contain ingredients rarely used in kitchens and may contribute to food-related health issues such as obesity and an increased risk of developing cancer.
A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition analyzed diet and lifestyle data from over 450,000 adults and found that increases in body fat accounted for only some of the association between ultraprocessed foods and upper digestive tract cancers. The study suggested that other mechanisms such as diet-induced inflammation, microbiome disruption, and epigenetic effects may also be contributing factors.
Moreover, the study also found a link between ultraprocessed foods and accidental deaths, with researchers suggesting that factors such as poverty and environmental blight might contribute to this association.
In addition to increased cancer risk, previous studies have linked ultraprocessed food consumption to health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression, among others. These findings underscore the potential detrimental effects of consuming a diet high in ultraprocessed foods and highlight the importance of further research in this area.
