A French research team from the Universite Sorbonne Paris Cite have found new evidence linking ultra-processed foods (such as sweet/savory packaged snacks, sodas, chocolate bars) to increased risk of cancer. Diet and obesity have already been linked to health issues such as heart disease and diabetes and being overweight has been identified as the most significant cause of preventable death behind smoking.
105,000 people were surveyed to establish their eating habits, and then followed for an average of around 5 years. Findings published in the British Medical Journal show that when consumption of ultra-processed foods is decreased by 10%, the number of cases of cancer decrease by 12%. This study is seen as an “initial insight” into the link between processed foods and cancer, as Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s prevention expert, says; “It’s already known that eating a lot of these foods can lead to weight gain, and being overweight or obese can also increase your risk of cancer, so it’s hard to disentangle the effects of diet and weight.”
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For the full study write-up, click here.