- Just 350 grams of ultra-processed foods, such as pizza and hamburgers, can increase the risk of cancer
- Research showed that something other than weight gain was at play
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Eating a family-sized bag of chips every day could increase the risk of throat and mouth cancer by 25 percent, a study has found.
Researchers found that cancer risk increased when people ate just 350 grams of ultra-processed food per day over the course of ten years – the equivalent of a large pack of chips or half a bag of skittles.
This amount was associated with a 20 percent higher risk of head and neck cancer, and a 25 percent higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma, a form of cancer that grows in the lining of the food pipe.
Previous research has suggested that the link between cancer risk and junk food may be explained by the fact that these high-calorie products can cause harmful weight gain.
However, the latest study argues for an alternative mechanism, as obesity was only a factor in a small proportion of cancer cases.
People who consumed 10 percent more ultra-processed foods than the average person – or 350 grams per day – had a 23 percent higher risk of head and neck cancer. This is equivalent to eating 20 chicken nuggets, 16 Reese’s cups and a portion of chips per day
Instead, researchers from the University of Bristol in Britain say the disease could result from harmful changes in gut flora, as well as possible hormonal effects.
Dr. David Katz, a specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine who was not involved in the study, told CNN: “If UPFs contribute to cancer risk, they do so to a small extent by contributing to obesity, and to a much larger extent by other mechanisms.
‘What could they be? Diet-induced inflammation; disruption of the microbiome; adverse epigenetic effects; and many other possibilities come to mind.”
Ultra-processed foods, such as soda, chips, nuggets, candies and baked goods, contain many ingredients, most of which are rarely used in kitchens.
They also contain additives such as artificial colors and preservatives, which help the food stay fresh longer.
These types of foods also tend to be high in calories, sugar, salt and fat, making them more likely to gain weight if eaten regularly.
The new study, published in the European Journal of Nutritionanalyzed diet and lifestyle data from 450,111 adults who took part in a wider European study.
Called European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), it is one of the largest studies in Europe and recruited participants from 23 centers in 11 European countries between 1992 and 1999.
For the new paper, researchers looked at the incidence of cancer in participants with a high intake of processed foods over the course of 14 years – and compared the results with those who ate little of them.
Intriguingly, the larger waist-to-hip ratio – a measure of obesity – explained only five percent of the 23 percent increased risk of head and neck cancer.
Meanwhile, an increase in body mass index (BMI) over the study period explained 13 percent of the excess risk of esophageal cancer, while waist-to-hip ratio explained 15 percent.
However, the findings do not show a direct cause; it is possible that other factors caused the increased risk of cancer. Those who eat large amounts of junk food are also more likely to smoke and drink alcohol – known causes of throat and mouth cancer.
Speaking about the findings, study leader Fernanda Morales Berstein told DailyMail.com: ‘Replacing any amount of ultra-processed foods in the diet with less processed foods may reduce the risk of upper respiratory and digestive tract cancers.’