A new study finds people who eat a lot of ultra-processed food are significantly more likely to develop lung cancer.
The list of potential health hazards linked to heavy consumption of ultra-processed foods… or UPFs … is growing.
A new study adds lung cancer to the list, which already includes 32 conditions… among them heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and depression.
Researchers tracked cancer diagnoses and deaths in nearly 102,000 people who filled out food frequency questionnaires.
The foods were divided into 5 categories from unprocessed to ultra-processed, which included foods like sour cream, ice cream, fried foods, bread and other baked goods, salted snacks, breakfast cereals, store-bought soups, candy, soft drinks, hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza.
Consumption of ultra-processed foods ranged from half-a-serving per day to 6 servings per day, with lunch meats and soft drinks the most common choices.
During the study period, about 17-hundred new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed.
According to the results, participants in the top 25% for daily UPF intake were 41% more likely to develop lung cancer.
The researchers say high intake of ultra-processed foods may ‘elbow out healthy foods,’ such as whole grains, fruit, and vegetables, which are known to protect against cancer.
Source: Thorax
Author Affiliations: Chongqing Cancer Hospital
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