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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Just Found a Link Between This Popular Food and Lung Cancer
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." New research links ultra-processed foods to lung cancer. Ultra-processed foods are associated with several diseases. Doctors warn that the findings don't prove ultra-processed foods cause lung cancer. Ultra-processed foods have been linked to a slew of health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. But new research suggests a surprising association between ultra-processed foods and lung cancer, raising all kinds of questions in the process. The study, which was published in the journal Thorax, analyzed data from nearly 102,000 people enrolled in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. The participants filled out a questionnaire on their health and diet at the start of the study, along with four questionnaires that looked at their diet from the past 24 hours during the 12-plus year study period. Using that information, the researchers put participants into four groups based on how much ultra-processed food they ate. People in the lowest group had about 0.5 servings of ultra-processed foods a day, while those in the highest group had six servings a day. Most people had about 2.8 servings of ultra-processed foods each day. (While that sounds like a lot, research suggests that about 70% of our food supply is ultra-processed.) The participants were followed for about 12.2 years and, during that time, 1,706 of them were diagnosed with lung cancer. While the overall risk of developing lung cancer was low (less than 2% across all groups), the researchers discovered that people who ate diets that were high in ultra-processed foods had a 41% higher likelihood of being diagnosed with lung cancer than those in the lowest group. Meet the experts: Nilesh Vora, M.D., is an oncologist and medical director of the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif.; Danxia Yu, Ph.D., epidemiologist and assistant professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Matthew Schabath, Ph.D., an epidemiologist at Moffitt Cancer Center; Scott Keatley, R.D., is co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy; Keri Gans, R.D.N., is author of The Small Change Diet 'Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer,' the researchers wrote in the conclusion. 'Although additional research in other populations and settings is warranted, these findings suggest the healthy benefits of limiting ultra-processed foods.' While ultra-processed foods have been linked with cancer in the past, doctors say the lung cancer connection is surprising—particularly for non-smokers who developed lung cancer. Here's what could be behind it, plus what doctors and dietitians recommend taking away from these findings. What are ultra-processed foods? Before we dive into the link it's important to briefly touch on what ultra-processed foods are. The level of processing a food undergoes is classified on something called the NOVA scale. It breaks food into these four categories? Unprocessed and minimally processed foods: These foods are in their natural state or barely altered, like carrots, milk, and strawberries. Processed culinary ingredients: Foods in this category are minimally processed through steps like pressing or grinding. Those include things like olive oil and flour. Processed foods: Processed foods have been changed from their natural state, and typically include salt, oil, and sugar. Cheeses and canned fish tend to fall into this category. Ultra-processed foods: Ultra-processed foods are processed and include ingredients like artificial colors and flavors. They also typically have preservatives added for shelf stability and texture, and are usually packaged. Why are ultra-processed foods linked to lung cancer? It's important to point out that the study didn't prove that eating ultra-processed foods causes lung cancer. Instead, it found a link between people who have diets that are high in ultra-processed foods and a lung cancer diagnosis. While the researchers adjusted the data for people who were smokers—a known risk factor for lung disease—it didn't break down how much or how long people smoked, points out Nilesh Vora, M.D., an oncologist and medical director of the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA. It could simply be that people who smoke often are more likely to eat more ultra-processed foods, and that the smoking (not the food) is what raised the risk, he explains. Worth noting: People who were non-smokers who ate high levels of ultra-processed foods were also diagnosed with lung cancer in the study. Still, experts say it's possible that there is something about ultra-processed foods themselves that may raise the risk of developing lung cancer. 'Although ultra-processed foods are not—yet—classified as carcinogens, both epidemiological and laboratory data suggest they may be a potential cancer risk factor,' says Matthew Schabath, Ph.D., an epidemiologist at Moffitt Cancer Center. 'Laboratory studies have shown that components of ultra-processed foods can alter gut microbiota, increase inflammation, damage DNA, and modify gene expression, among other effects. Diets high in ultra-processed foods also promote systemic inflammation and oxidative stress—both of which contribute to cancer development.' The lack of nutrition in ultra-processed foods, contaminants from processing and packaging that may be carcinogenic, and additives that are often used with ultra-processed foods, like glutamate (an amino acid used in processed foods as a flavor enhancer) and carrageenan (an additive used to thicken and stabilize food), may also be an issue, according to Dr. Vora. The idea that packaging material and 'unregulated glutamate' may raise the risk of lung cancer is 'the most compelling' potential reason why someone may develop lung cancer from ultra-processed foods, Dr. Vora says. Many ultra-processed foods are also engineered products, points out Danxia Yu, Ph.D., epidemiologist and assistant professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 'Ultra-processed foods are essentially industrial formulations that are extensively processed to be high in added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium, while low in fiber and micronutrients,' Yu says. Yu also flags the food additives, particularly emulsifiers and preservatives, as being potentially problematic, along with chemicals from food packaging. Ultra-processed foods have been shown to impact blood sugar and the gut microbiome, as well as raise chronic inflammation, which is linked with a host of serious diseases, including cancer, she points out. Still, Yu stresses that it's hard to draw too many conclusions from this study. 'Although there is biological plausibility and epidemiological evidence linking ultra-processed foods to disease risk like the results from this study, we cannot conclude that ultra-processed foods cause lung cancer,' she says. Schabath agrees. 'The study is one of the first cohort studies to identify an association between ultra-processed food consumption and lung cancer risk,' he says. 'That said, the limited evidence doesn't mean there's no association—just that more research is needed.' How to cut back on ultra-processed foods While doctors stress that the link between ultra-processed foods and lung cancer is still being explored, a growing body of research suggests that it's still best to limit how much of this food category you eat. If you're interested in eating fewer ultra-processed foods, it's helpful to focus on more nutrient-dense foods first, says Scott Keatley, R.D., co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. 'Ultra-processed foods become a problem when they displace the fiber, protein, and micronutrients our bodies need to regulate inflammation and repair cells,' he says. 'It's not about swearing off convenience, it's about making room for foods that do more for you.' To start, it's best to build your meals around whole ingredients like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, and lean proteins, says Keri Gans, R.D.N., author of The Small Change Diet. 'When those take center stage, there's naturally less room for ultra-processed choices,' she says. Gans also recommends stocking your kitchen with convenient foods that aren't ultra-processed, like canned tomatoes, beans, oats, frozen vegetables, and brown rice. 'These staples make it easier to prepare quick, balanced meals,' she says. Keatley points out that there are still plenty of shelf-stable and time-saving foods that support health but aren't ultra-processed, like frozen vegetables, canned salmon, or unsweetened Greek yogurt. 'The goal isn't to demonize processing, but to prioritize nutrition density and limit the additives that may interfere with how our cells function,' Keatley says. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50 Solve the daily Crossword
Medical News Today
31-07-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
High amounts of ultra-processed foods may increase lung cancer risk by 41%
As the proportion of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in the Western diet increases, concerns are growing about their health have linked UPFs with many health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and several types of a study suggests that high consumption of UPFs could increase a person's chance of developing lung cancer. While observing a link, the study cannot prove that UPFs cause lung cancer, but highlights a need for further foods (UPFs) — formulations of food substances often modified by chemical processes and then assembled into ready-to-consume hyper-palatable food and drink products using flavors, colors, emulsifiers, and many other cosmetic additives — are often in the news for their effect on our health. These products, which include carbonated soft drinks, mass-produced bread, confectionery, ice creams, sweet and savory snacks, and ready meals, make up around 60% of the energy consumed in the United suggest that high UPF consumption may increase a person's risk of several health conditions, including many types of cancer.A new study has now linked high UPF intake with an increased risk of developing lung cancer. The research, published in Thorax, found that high consumption of UPFs was associated with a greater risk of both non-small cell (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).Nilesh Vora, MD, board-certified hematologist and medical oncologist and medical director of the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA, who was not involved in the study, found the link surprising: 'The study generates a compelling hypothesis that needs further research to validate the claim,' he told Medical News average of 2.8 servings a dayThe researchers collected data from people enrolled in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO). They included 50,187 men and 51,545 women in the study. Participants had a mean age of 62.5 years at the start. At enrolment, all participants completed a baseline questionnaire, which recorded demographics, medical history, and other risk factor information, and a diet history questionnaire, to assess the frequency and portion size of food consumption and nutrient intake during the previous the diet questionnaire and four 24-hour dietary recalls, the researchers assessed how much UPF people consumed, dividing them into 4 quartiles for UPF lowest quartile consumed around 0.5 servings of UPF per day, and the highest 6.0 servings, with a mean intake of 2.8 servings per UPF intake linked to lung cancerResearchers followed up the participants for a mean of 12.2 years, during which time there were 1,706 lung cancer diagnoses. Of these, 1,473 (86.3%) were NSCLC, and 233 (13.7%) who ate more UPF had a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with lung cancer. In the lowest UPF intake group, 331 out of 25,433 people (1.3%) were diagnosed with lung cancer, and in the highest UPF group, 485 out of 25,434 (1.9%) had a lung cancer researchers concluded that those who ate the most UPF had a 41% relatively higher hazard of lung cancer than those in the lowest factors may increase lung cancer riskPeople in the highest quartile for UPF consumption also had lower intake of minimally processed foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which the American Institute for Cancer Research advises can lower a person's risk of many researchers suggest several possible reasons why UPF might increase lung cancer risk, including:poor nutritional quality of UPF and lower nutrient availability due to industrial of the additives commonly used in UPFs, such as glutamate and carrageenan, could increase lung cancer risk, possibly by disrupting the lung and gut contaminants from processing and packaging that could be Brown, senior cancer intelligence manager at Cancer Research UK, who was not involved in the study, cautioned that firm conclusions could not be drawn from the research:'What we'd want to see in the lung cancer space specifically, we'd want to see really, really close adjustment for smoking and for occupational exposures. Without that, in the lung cancer space, it's impossible to draw firm conclusions from research. And also more accurate measurement of diet because if you're looking at a diet study, you have to be measuring it really, really accurately. It's very difficult to do that. It's incredibly difficult to do that at scale.''There's also the possibility, I think, of shared risk factors. If you have a diet high in UPFs, are you also more likely to smoke cigarettes? Are you also more likely to be in a job where you're exposed to these other risk factors?' she UPFs cause lung cancer? More research neededThis was an observational study that relied on self-reported information about diet, so the findings cannot prove that UPFs cause lung authors highlight this and other limitations of their study, including a lack of data about smoking intensity for participants and the lack of ethnic diversity of the participants, most of whom were non-Hispanic highlighted some of these limitations:'There is adjustment for smoking in the paper, but there's nothing about how long a person smoked for, or how heavily they smoked. And we know that those are variables that are very closely associated with lung cancer incidence.' 'Also,' she added, 'the lack of adjustment for occupational exposure is a concern. There are a number of substances that can increase lung cancer risks, typically encountered at volume in occupational settings. Asbestos, silica, lots of dusts and chemicals can have quite a high relative risk for lung cancer.'Vora emphasized that to generate more significant data: 'More research should be done in a prospective fashion with controlled variables.'Limiting ultra-processed foods benefits healthThis latest study linking UPFs to lung cancer adds to the evidence of potential harms from UPFs. An umbrella review of adverse health outcomes associated with UPF exposure found direct associations with 'higher risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease-related mortality, common mental disorder outcomes, overweight and obesity, and type 2 diabetes.'Other studies have linked high intake of UPFs with increased overall cancer risk and risk of both breast and ovarian cancer, suggesting that obesity and type 2 diabetes resulting from UPFs could be increasing these cancer risks.'UPFs can be high in fat, salt and sugar, which are associated with overweight and obesity, and we know that overweight and obesity can increase cancer risk. Cutting down on these types of foods can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. When it comes to lung cancer, not smoking is the best thing people can do to reduce their cancer risk.'— Katrina Brown, Cancer Research UKWhile welcoming the study, Brown told MNT:'I don't think that we would say that this study sounds huge alarm bells. But we certainly wouldn't disagree with the core recommendation to try and reduce the amount of processed food that you consume and replace it with healthier alternatives.''It's interesting as it gets as further to knowing more about UPFs. It's that body of evidence that we need to build up, but this single study doesn't tip the balance,' she added.
