Are Ultra-processed Foods Linked with Colorectal Cancer?

Ultra-processed foods are usually low in nutrients that lower colorectal cancer risk. Previous studies exploring the link between high intake of ultra-processed foods and colorectal cancer risk have not yielded concrete findings due to study design and sample size limitations. A large study (46,341 men and 159,907 women) followed the diet of participants from three large prospective cohorts for 24-28 years. 3216 of the participants were later diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

The findings(Table 1) have been published in the BMJ . Table 1 : Key findings The study findings demonstrate a significant positive association between a higher risk of colorectal cancer with the high intake of total ultra-processed foods in men and certain ultra-processed food subsets in men and women. They also support limiting the consumption of these ultra-processed foods. Further studies can investigate which…