Eating ultra-processed foods may increase lung cancer risk
Consuming higher amounts of ultra-processed foods (UPFs)—such as soft drinks, hot dogs, and breakfast cereals—could lead to a higher risk of lung cancer, according to a study.
New research featured in an August 20 Health article found that people who ate more UPFs—highly manufactured foods that contain significant levels of salt, fats, and sweeteners, but low amounts of dietary fiber—were more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer. The trend was true for both smokers and non-smokers.
Tim Rebbeck, Vincent L. Gregory, Jr. Professor of Cancer Prevention at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who was not involved with the study, said that research on the link between UPFs and cancer “remains early in its evolution,” but that the results of the new study provide more evidence that diet may be linked to cancer risk. He noted that while researchers still don’t fully understand the mechanisms driving lung cancer risk, systemic inflammation may be involved.
Even though more research is needed on the role of UPFs in cancer, Rebbeck and other experts quoted in the article advised focusing on healthy foods.
“We know already that eating a diet rich in low processed foods, vegetables, fruits, grains, does reduce the risk of cancer,” Rebbeck said. “So as we learn about the role of UPF in cancer, the message will probably remain the same—eat a balanced, less-processed, plant-forward, and nutrient-rich diet.”
Read the Health article: Eating More Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Higher Lung Cancer Risk—Even If You’ve Never Smoked
