Latest news with #FoodandAgricultureOrganization
CNN
6 hours ago
- Health
- CNN
How processed your food is could put you at higher risk for lung cancer, study suggests
There are many reasons to avoid ultraprocessed foods, including a link with heart disease, diabetes and obesity, but an increased risk of lung cancer may be yet another, a new study suggests. Ultraprocessed foods contain ingredients 'never or rarely used in kitchens, or classes of additives whose function is to make the final product palatable or more appealing,' according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Those ingredients — found in items such as sodas, chips, packaged soups, chicken nuggets and ice cream — can include preservatives against mold or bacteria, artificial coloring, emulsifiers to stop separation, and added or altered sugar, salt and fats to make food more appealing. People who eat the most ultraprocessed foods are 41% more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than those who eat the least, even after accounting for other factors such as smoking, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal Thorax. For this study, researchers analyzed data from more than 100,000 people who completed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey's Food Frequency Questionnaire on their dietary habits and compared the information with medical records for lung cancer diagnoses. On average, people had nearly three servings a day of ultraprocessed foods, most commonly lunch meat, diet or caffeinated soft drinks, or decaffeinated soft drinks, the study authors wrote. 'Industrial processing alters the food matrix, affecting nutrient availability and absorption, while also generating harmful contaminants,' the researchers added. They specifically highlighted acrolein, which can come from burning tobacco, wood, plastics and gasoline and from cooking fats and oils at high temperatures, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Packaging materials also may be part of the problem, they suggested. The study is observational, meaning that while the methods were clear and strong, the research still can't definitively prove that the foods cause lung cancer –– just that there is a connection between the two, said Dr. David Katz, a specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine and founder of the nonprofit True Health Initiative, a global coalition of experts dedicated to evidence-based lifestyle medicine. He was not involved in the research. 'This study strongly suggests that (ultraprocessed foods) may contribute to lung cancer risk,' he said. Lung cancer is a common form of cancer, with an estimated 2.4 million new cases worldwide in 2022, according to the World Health Organization. Smoking is the main contributor to lung cancer risk, but people who don't smoke can still get it, which suggests other factors are at play, Katz said. The authors adjusted for factors, meaning that they accounted for other possible things that could increase lung cancer diagnoses, including whether or not a person smoked, but it's important to note that the measurements were not nuanced, said Dr. Fang Fang Zhang, The Neely Family Professor and chair of the division of nutritional epidemiology and data science in the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston. She was not involved in the research. 'Because smoking is a very important risk factor for lung cancer, adjusting smoking in a crude way could leave a large room for residual confounding,' she said in an email. 'It will be important to adjust for the intensity (e.g., cigarettes/day) and duration (e.g., years of smoking) or the cumulative exposure of smoking (e.g., pack-years). However, the authors found that the association between ultra-processed food consumption and lung cancer risk was stronger among never-smokers.' There hasn't been a lot of research into ultraprocessed foods and lung cancer risk, but a lot of existing evidence shows how important diet quality is for predicting premature death from all causes in the United States, Katz said. Often, ultraprocessed food consumption is associated with a lower diet quality, such as a higher intake of saturated fats, chemicals, salt and sugar, as well as higher calorie consumption, he added. These factors 'can drive inflammation –– a primary pathway in the development and progression of cancer –– and damage the microbiome, impairing immune system function,' he said in an email. 'This combination of excess inflammation and impaired immunity gives rogue cells the upperhand. … This scenario is where cancer begins.' Ultraprocessed foods tend to be low in omega-3s, said Dr. Tom Brenna, professor of pediatrics, human nutrition and chemistry at Dell Medical School of the University of Texas at Austin. Omega-3s are essential, healthy fats that the body can't produce on its own, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. 'Omega-3s limit shelf life, so if you're going to ultraprocess something … then you kind of want to get rid of omega-3s,' said Brenna, who was not part of the research. Additives in ultraprocessed foods, carcinogens formed during processing or chemicals from food packaging might also be at play, Zhang said. 'However, these pathways are not well understood and warrant further investigations,' she said. The study adds lung cancer risk to the list of reasons to avoid ultraprocessed foods and increase diet quality, Katz said. Health and diet quality improve when people eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods and largely plants such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, he added. If you want to make a change, Zhang recommends starting by reading food labels. 'Avoid foods with long ingredient lists with unfamiliar names — these are more likely to be additives, preservatives, and artificial flavors,' she said. 'Prioritize whole food and prepare meals using whole or minimally processed ingredients whenever possible.' Instead of focusing on what you won't eat, try prioritizing adding foods directly from nature into your diet, Katz added. 'If you are used to eating a lot of UPFs, transition to less of them, more 'real' foods one better choice at a time,' he said in an email. It may take a minute for your taste buds to adjust to more wholesome foods, but if you give yourself a couple of weeks to get used to it, you can come to prefer the taste of more natural ingredients, he said. 'Once that happens, maintaining a healthier diet becomes much easier,' Katz added. Sign up for CNN's Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life.
CTV News
16 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
What you eat may impact your lung cancer risk, according to a new study
There are many reasons to avoid ultra-processed foods, including a link with heart disease, diabetes and obesity, but an increased risk of lung cancer may be yet another, a new study suggests. Ultra-processed foods contain ingredients 'never or rarely used in kitchens, or classes of additives whose function is to make the final product palatable or more appealing,' according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Those ingredients — found in items such as sodas, chips, packaged soups, chicken nuggets and ice cream — can include preservatives against mold or bacteria, artificial coloring, emulsifiers to stop separation, and added or altered sugar, salt and fats to make food more appealing. People who eat the most ultra-processed foods are 41 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than those who eat the least, even after accounting for other factors such as smoking, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal Thorax. For this study, researchers analyzed data from more than 100,000 people who completed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey's Food Frequency Questionnaire on their dietary habits and compared the information with medical records for lung cancer diagnoses. On average, people had nearly three servings a day of ultra-processed foods, most commonly lunch meat, diet or caffeinated soft drinks, or decaffeinated soft drinks, the study authors wrote. 'Industrial processing alters the food matrix, affecting nutrient availability and absorption, while also generating harmful contaminants,' the researchers added. They specifically highlighted acrolein, which can come from burning tobacco, wood, plastics and gasoline and from cooking fats and oils at high temperatures, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Packaging materials also may be part of the problem, they suggested. The study is observational, meaning that while the methods were clear and strong, the research still can't definitively prove that the foods cause lung cancer –– just that there is a connection between the two, said Dr. David Katz, a specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine and founder of the nonprofit True Health Initiative, a global coalition of experts dedicated to evidence-based lifestyle medicine. He was not involved in the research. 'This study strongly suggests that (ultra-processed foods) may contribute to lung cancer risk,' he said. Lung cancer isn't just about smoking Lung cancer is a common form of cancer, with an estimated 2.4 million new cases worldwide in 2022, according to the World Health Organization. Smoking is the main contributor to lung cancer risk, but people who don't smoke can still get it, which suggests other factors are at play, Katz said. The authors adjusted for factors, meaning that they accounted for other possible things that could increase lung cancer diagnoses, including whether or not a person smoked, but it's important to note that the measurements were not nuanced, said Dr. Fang Fang Zhang, The Neely Family Professor and chair of the division of nutritional epidemiology and data science in the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston. She was not involved in the research. 'Because smoking is a very important risk factor for lung cancer, adjusting smoking in a crude way could leave a large room for residual confounding,' she said in an email. 'It will be important to adjust for the intensity (e.g., cigarettes/day) and duration (e.g., years of smoking) or the cumulative exposure of smoking (e.g., pack-years). However, the authors found that the association between ultra-processed food consumption and lung cancer risk was stronger among never-smokers.' Why foods impact lung cancer There hasn't been a lot of research into ultra-processed foods and lung cancer risk, but a lot of existing evidence shows how important diet quality is for predicting premature death from all causes in the United States, Katz said. Often, ultra-processed food consumption is associated with a lower diet quality, such as a higher intake of saturated fats, chemicals, salt and sugar, as well as higher calorie consumption, he added. These factors 'can drive inflammation –– a primary pathway in the development and progression of cancer –– and damage the microbiome, impairing immune system function,' he said in an email. 'This combination of excess inflammation and impaired immunity gives rogue cells the upperhand. … This scenario is where cancer begins.' Ultra-processed foods tend to be low in omega-3s, said Dr. Tom Brenna, professor of pediatrics, human nutrition and chemistry at Dell Medical School of the University of Texas at Austin. Omega-3s are essential, healthy fats that the body can't produce on its own, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. 'Omega-3s limit shelf life, so if you're going to ultra-process something … then you kind of want to get rid of omega-3s,' said Brenna, who was not part of the research. Additives in ultra-processed foods, carcinogens formed during processing or chemicals from food packaging might also be at play, Zhang said. 'However, these pathways are not well understood and warrant further investigations,' she said. Ultra-processed foods vs. whole foods from nature The study adds lung cancer risk to the list of reasons to avoid ultra-processed foods and increase diet quality, Katz said. Health and diet quality improve when people eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods and largely plants such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, he added. If you want to make a change, Zhang recommends starting by reading food labels. 'Avoid foods with long ingredient lists with unfamiliar names — these are more likely to be additives, preservatives, and artificial flavors,' she said. 'Prioritize whole food and prepare meals using whole or minimally processed ingredients whenever possible.' Instead of focusing on what you won't eat, try prioritizing adding foods directly from nature into your diet, Katz added. 'If you are used to eating a lot of UPFs, transition to less of them, more 'real' foods one better choice at a time,' he said in an email. It may take a minute for your taste buds to adjust to more wholesome foods, but if you give yourself a couple of weeks to get used to it, you can come to prefer the taste of more natural ingredients, he said. 'Once that happens, maintaining a healthier diet becomes much easier,' Katz added.
CNN
18 hours ago
- Health
- CNN
How processed your food is could put you at higher risk for lung cancer, study suggests
There are many reasons to avoid ultraprocessed foods, including a link with heart disease, diabetes and obesity, but an increased risk of lung cancer may be yet another, a new study suggests. Ultraprocessed foods contain ingredients 'never or rarely used in kitchens, or classes of additives whose function is to make the final product palatable or more appealing,' according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Those ingredients — found in items such as sodas, chips, packaged soups, chicken nuggets and ice cream — can include preservatives against mold or bacteria, artificial coloring, emulsifiers to stop separation, and added or altered sugar, salt and fats to make food more appealing. People who eat the most ultraprocessed foods are 41% more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than those who eat the least, even after accounting for other factors such as smoking, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal Thorax. For this study, researchers analyzed data from more than 100,000 people who completed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey's Food Frequency Questionnaire on their dietary habits and compared the information with medical records for lung cancer diagnoses. On average, people had nearly three servings a day of ultraprocessed foods, most commonly lunch meat, diet or caffeinated soft drinks, or decaffeinated soft drinks, the study authors wrote. 'Industrial processing alters the food matrix, affecting nutrient availability and absorption, while also generating harmful contaminants,' the researchers added. They specifically highlighted acrolein, which can come from burning tobacco, wood, plastics and gasoline and from cooking fats and oils at high temperatures, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Packaging materials also may be part of the problem, they suggested. The study is observational, meaning that while the methods were clear and strong, the research still can't definitively prove that the foods cause lung cancer –– just that there is a connection between the two, said Dr. David Katz, a specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine and founder of the nonprofit True Health Initiative, a global coalition of experts dedicated to evidence-based lifestyle medicine. He was not involved in the research. 'This study strongly suggests that (ultraprocessed foods) may contribute to lung cancer risk,' he said. Lung cancer is a common form of cancer, with an estimated 2.4 million new cases worldwide in 2022, according to the World Health Organization. Smoking is the main contributor to lung cancer risk, but people who don't smoke can still get it, which suggests other factors are at play, Katz said. The authors adjusted for factors, meaning that they accounted for other possible things that could increase lung cancer diagnoses, including whether or not a person smoked, but it's important to note that the measurements were not nuanced, said Dr. Fang Fang Zhang, The Neely Family Professor and chair of the division of nutritional epidemiology and data science in the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston. She was not involved in the research. 'Because smoking is a very important risk factor for lung cancer, adjusting smoking in a crude way could leave a large room for residual confounding,' she said in an email. 'It will be important to adjust for the intensity (e.g., cigarettes/day) and duration (e.g., years of smoking) or the cumulative exposure of smoking (e.g., pack-years). However, the authors found that the association between ultra-processed food consumption and lung cancer risk was stronger among never-smokers.' There hasn't been a lot of research into ultraprocessed foods and lung cancer risk, but a lot of existing evidence shows how important diet quality is for predicting premature death from all causes in the United States, Katz said. Often, ultraprocessed food consumption is associated with a lower diet quality, such as a higher intake of saturated fats, chemicals, salt and sugar, as well as higher calorie consumption, he added. These factors 'can drive inflammation –– a primary pathway in the development and progression of cancer –– and damage the microbiome, impairing immune system function,' he said in an email. 'This combination of excess inflammation and impaired immunity gives rogue cells the upperhand. … This scenario is where cancer begins.' Ultraprocessed foods tend to be low in omega-3s, said Dr. Tom Brenna, professor of pediatrics, human nutrition and chemistry at Dell Medical School of the University of Texas at Austin. Omega-3s are essential, healthy fats that the body can't produce on its own, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. 'Omega-3s limit shelf life, so if you're going to ultraprocess something … then you kind of want to get rid of omega-3s,' said Brenna, who was not part of the research. Additives in ultraprocessed foods, carcinogens formed during processing or chemicals from food packaging might also be at play, Zhang said. 'However, these pathways are not well understood and warrant further investigations,' she said. The study adds lung cancer risk to the list of reasons to avoid ultraprocessed foods and increase diet quality, Katz said. Health and diet quality improve when people eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods and largely plants such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, he added. If you want to make a change, Zhang recommends starting by reading food labels. 'Avoid foods with long ingredient lists with unfamiliar names — these are more likely to be additives, preservatives, and artificial flavors,' she said. 'Prioritize whole food and prepare meals using whole or minimally processed ingredients whenever possible.' Instead of focusing on what you won't eat, try prioritizing adding foods directly from nature into your diet, Katz added. 'If you are used to eating a lot of UPFs, transition to less of them, more 'real' foods one better choice at a time,' he said in an email. It may take a minute for your taste buds to adjust to more wholesome foods, but if you give yourself a couple of weeks to get used to it, you can come to prefer the taste of more natural ingredients, he said. 'Once that happens, maintaining a healthier diet becomes much easier,' Katz added. Sign up for CNN's Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style. Our eight-part guide shows you a delicious expert-backed eating lifestyle that will boost your health for life.
Arab News
a day ago
- Health
- Arab News
Hunger and malnutrition levels in Gaza pass limits that define famine, UN warns
NEW YORK CITY: Gaza is facing a catastrophic hunger crisis, with food insecurity and malnutrition reaching levels that meet the official thresholds for famine, UN agencies warned on Tuesday. An alert from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a system for determining the scale and nature of a food crisis, said that two of the three official indicators used to determine famine conditions are now present in parts of the Gaza Strip. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, World Food Programme and UNICEF warned that time is rapidly running out to launch a full-scale humanitarian response. 'Gaza is now on the brink of a full-scale famine,' said the FAO's director-general, Qu Dongyu. 'People are starving not because food is unavailable but because access is blocked, food systems have collapsed, and families cannot survive. The right to food is a basic human right.' The agencies pointed to relentless conflict, the breakdown of essential services, and severe restrictions on aid deliveries as the key drivers of the crisis. Humanitarian access remains limited, despite the partial reopening of border crossings, and aid flows remain far below what is required to support Gaza's more than 2 million residents. Food consumption, a core indicator of famine, has dropped sharply since May. New data shows that 39 percent of Gazans go entire days without food. More than 500,000 people are enduring famine-like conditions, while the rest face emergency levels of hunger. Acute malnutrition, a second indicator of famine, is surging. In Gaza City, rates among children under 5 years old have quadrupled in just two months, reaching 16.5 percent. UNICEF warned that all 320,000 under-5s in Gaza are now at risk of acute malnutrition, with thousands already suffering from its most deadly form. Most nutritional services have collapsed, and infants lack access to clean water, baby formula and life-saving therapeutic food. 'Babies and young children are literally wasting away from hunger,' said UNICEF's executive director, Catherine Russell. 'We need immediate, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access. Without it, preventable child deaths will continue.' UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Palestinians in Gaza were enduring a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions. 'This is not a warning, it is a reality unfolding before our eyes,' he said. 'The current trickle of aid must become an ocean, with food, water, medicine and fuel flowing freely and without obstruction. 'This nightmare must end. Ending this worst-case scenario will require the best efforts of all parties, now. 'We need an immediate and permanent humanitarian ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and full, unfettered humanitarian access across Gaza. This is a test of our shared humanity — a test we cannot afford to fail.' Reports of starvation-related deaths are increasing, though comprehensive data is difficult to gather as the healthcare system in Gaza teeters on the verge of total collapse after nearly two years of conflict. The World Food Programme's executive director, Cindy McCain, said waiting for a formal declaration of famine before acting would be 'unconscionable.' She called for Gaza to be 'flooded with food aid immediately and without obstruction' and warned that 'people are already dying of malnutrition; the longer we wait, the higher the death toll will rise.' According to UN data, Gaza needs at least 62,000 tonnes of food and nutritional aid every month. The return of commercial food imports is also critical to dietary diversity and the restoration of local markets. The agencies also stressed the urgent need for fuel and water supplies and infrastructure repairs to support humanitarian operations and prevent further deaths. In their joint statement, the FAO, WFP and UNICEF called for an immediate and sustained ceasefire agreement, mass humanitarian access using all border crossings, the restoration of basic services, and international investment in efforts to rebuild Gaza's food systems and agricultural capacity. 'The world must act now,' they said. 'The lives of hundreds of thousands — especially children — depend on it.'
African Manager
2 days ago
- Politics
- African Manager
Family farming ineligible for international cooperation funding?
Despite some gaps and shortcomings that mar its organizational methods, family farming appears to have a bright future in Tunisia and nearly everywhere else in the world. What is most striking, however, is that family farming, which represents 80% of the agricultural sector—has yet to be included in the 2026/2030 development plan. This inclusion is meant to enable access to funding lines allocated under international cooperation, stated Fethi Ben Khalifa, general coordinator of the 'United Nations Decade of Family Farming' (UNDFF) program. To this end, professional organizations and agricultural experts are working to convince the government of the necessity of integrating family farming into the development plan. Ben Khalifa emphasized that incorporating family farming into that plan would allow Tunisia to benefit from funding provided by several UN agencies. He cited, for example, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which already provides technical support to this form of farming through multiple programs. He also recalled that Tunisian agriculture is characterized by the predominance of small farms, 75% of which are less than 10 hectares in size. He noted that family farming faces several challenges, including land fragmentation. 'The poverty rate in rural areas has reached 26.6%, compared to 10% in urban areas, due to the lack of economic diversification and water scarcity.' Competition from 'large-scale farmers'! For his part, Nourredine Nasr, an international expert in agricultural development, pointed out that Tunisia already has a National Action Plan for Family Farming (2022-2030), developed under the UN Decade of Family Farming (2019-2028). The drafting of this plan began in late 2021 after Tunisia signed a partnership agreement with the FAO and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The Tunisian plan is among the 16 national strategies adopted worldwide, out of a total of 100 national plans developed, he specified. In this context, he recalled that the plan aims to encourage farmers' children to take over their fathers' farms, countering their disinterest in agriculture due to lack of adequate financing and declining farm incomes. It also aims to Promote gender equality in family farming and the leadership role of rural women, who own only 14% of land. However, competition from large-scale farmers has slowed this process, Nasr stressed, hence 'the need for small farmers and family landowners to organize themselves for bulk purchases of equipment and supplies to reduce costs and counter this competition.' A Dominant Model Three-quarters of family farms worldwide are less than one hectare, according to the FAO, which notes that family farming involves more than half of the workforce in the Global South and 40% of the global workforce. It engages 2.6 billion people, who produce 70% of the world's food while using only 30% of global agricultural resources. (By contrast, capitalist farming, or agribusiness, produces 30% of food using the remaining 70% of resources, CFSI 2018 source.) Family farming has not disappeared in so-called 'Global North' countries, where it remains the dominant form of agriculture. However, it is not always accounted for in agricultural statistics, which only record so-called 'professional' farms. It also persists in the form of rural or urban gardens or as a side activity to supplement small incomes (retirees, workers, etc.). For the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), 'Family farming encompasses all agricultural activities based on the family unit, linked to many aspects of rural development. It includes agricultural, forestry, fisheries, pastoral, and aquaculture production managed by a family, relying primarily on family labor—both men and women.'
