Eating certain ultra-processed foods may put people at a greater risk for developing cancer, according to a recent study by Imperial College London.
Breakfast cereals, mass-produced breads, ready meals, ice creams, ham and crisps are among the foodstuffs linked with heightened cancer risks.
The average person in the UK reportedly relies on these ultra-processed foods for over half of their daily energy intake, creating an unhealthy food environment.
To reduce the risks associated with ultra-processed foods researchers suggest front-of-pack labeling to alert consumers and subsidies to lower prices of fresh produce in order to make healthier options more accessible.
Though any link between UPFs and cancer cannot be proven, studies have also indicated connections between UPFs and heart disease, dementia, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
A new research paper published in eClinicalMedicine discovered that higher consumption of UPFs is associated with greater chances of developing ovarian cancer and brain cance remarkably.
Additionally a 10 per cent increase in ultra-processed food had a 2 per cent increased risk of developing any kind of cancer overall as well as 19 per cent increased risk specifically for ovarian cancer even when adjusting for other factors such as exercise or body mass index (BMI).
This adds to the growing evidence connecting these processed items to deteriorating health conditions.
To stay safe it is best to avoid or reduce intake of “fast foods” and other highly processed items that are packed with fat starches or sugars whilst making whole grains, vegetables, fruits or pulses an important part of one’s regular diet.
Article updated 6 days ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
