The consumption of ultra-processed foods has been associated with greater odds of suffering from general health problems. Now, new research led by researchers from the University of Bristol (United Kingdom) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has found that eating more ultra-processed foods is associated with a higher risk of developing head and neck cancers, that is That is, in the mouth, throat and esophagus.
In this international study, data on the diet and lifestyle of 450,111 adults who were followed for around 14 years have been analyzed, and its authors affirm that obesity associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods would not be the only factor. responsible for the appearance of these tumors, as explained in an article in the European Journal of Nutrition.
This is not the first time that a study links the consumption of ultra-processed foods and cancer, including a recent work that analyzed the association between these foods and 34 different types of cancer in the largest cohort study in Europe, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer cohort. and Nutrition (EPIC) – which included 266,666 participants (60% women) – and which has been published in The Lancet Regional Health.
Researchers from Bristol Medical School and IARC decided to further evaluate the associations between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and their negative impact on health. Taking into account that the nutritional profile of many ultra-processed foods is unhealthy, they sought to determine whether the association between the consumption of these products and head and neck cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma (a cancer of the esophagus) in EPIC could be explained by an increase of body fat.
The results of their analyzes showed that eating 10% more ultra-processed foods is associated with a 23% higher risk of head and neck cancer and a 24% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma in EPIC. Increased body fat only explains a small proportion of the statistical association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and the risk of these cancers of the upper digestive tract.
Other factors that would explain the increased risk of cancer
Fernanda Morales-Berstein, Wellcome Trust PhD student at the University of Bristol and lead author of the study, explained: “Ultra-processed foods have been associated with excess weight and increased body fat in several observational studies. This makes sense, since they are generally tasty, convenient and cheap, encouraging the consumption of large portions and an excessive number of calories. However, it was interesting that in our study the link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and cancer of the upper digestive tract did not seem to be explained to a large extent by body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio.
The results showed that eating 10% more ultra-processed foods was associated with a 23% higher risk of head and neck cancer and a 24% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
The authors suggest that other mechanisms could explain the association. For example, additives, including emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners that have previously been associated with disease risk, and contaminants from food packaging and manufacturing processes, may partly explain the link between ultra-processed foods and upper digestive tract cancer in this study.
Therefore, they point out that more research is necessary to identify other factors that may explain the observed links. However, based on the finding that body fat did not largely explain the link between ultra-processed food consumption and upper digestive tract cancer risk in this study, Fernanda Morales-Berstein has suggested that “focusing on “Only in weight loss treatments, such as semaglutide, can contribute greatly to the prevention of cancers of the upper digestive tract related to the consumption of ultra-processed foods.”
Dr Helen Croker, Deputy Director of Research and Policy at the World Cancer Research Fund, concludes: “This study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting a link between ultra-processed foods and cancer risk. The association between higher consumption of ultra-processed foods and a higher risk of developing cancer of the upper digestive tract supports our cancer prevention recommendations of eating a healthy diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans.”
