Hormonal and digestive cancer risk increases by ultra-processed food, experts flag

13 Jun 2023 --- Ultra-processed foods (UPF) have been found to increase the risks of developing several types of cancers, according to a recent study in China. Most notably, those in the digestive tract, such as colorectal and colon cancers, and hormone-related variants like breast cancer.

The authors point to the emerging evidence of increased food processing and cancer risk. They note that UPFs account for more than half of total energy intake and spotlight the dramatic change in food processing that saw an increase in the market – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UPFs are characterized by poor nutritional quality, high energy density and potential carcinogenic properties from packaging or food processing components.

The World Health Organization says that cancer is responsible for nearly ten million deaths yearly and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The World Obesity Federation recently predicted that if current dietary patterns are not changed, 51% of the world population will be overweight or obese by 2030.

Hundreds of thousands of participants
The study, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, conducted four cohort studies and compared nine case studies between UPF consumption and different types of cancer.

For every 10% of dietary increase in UPFs, colorectal cancer risk increased by 4%.The researchers found that for every 10% of dietary increase in UPFs, colorectal cancer risk increased by 4%. This was based on three prospective cohort studies with 508,654 participants and three case-controlled studies including 8,424 participants.

Additionally, a cohort study including 279,585 participants and four controlled case studies with 5,059 participants found evidence for the link between breast cancer and UPF consumption. There was no significant difference found between premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

The researchers found no significance for increased prostate cancer risk by UPF consumption.

However, there are several limitations to the study and its data. For example, the researchers say that using cohort studies with large samples and case-control design does not allow a precise result to determine the actual cause.

Additionally, cancer has been shown to result from complex interactions between social, psychological and biological factors, which the researchers argue has been adjusted for in most studies. However, environmental and genetic factors cannot be confirmed to have been taken into consideration.

UPF in the headlines
In April, FoodDrinkEurope gathered for a presentation on UPF and the misconceptions around it. It claimed its definition is unclear and urged the food industry to provide more transparency and education. 

“We think the food’s nutritional composition, structural eating rate and digestibility impact human health but not the level of food processing. But we have an issue in the food industry – a lack of consumer trust,” said one of the speakers, Gert Meijer, chair at the European technology platform Food for Life.

Meanwhile, a Korean study found a link between depression and UPF intake in women. Those who consumed the highest level of UPF measured had a 1.5 times higher likelihood of suffering from depression than those following a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fats, sugar and sodium. 

Another study in Japan found that high salt levels may cause emotional and cognitive impairment and increase key biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia. 

By Beatrice Wihlander