Ice-cream, bread, breakfast cereal among list of foods that increases cancer risk
1 min read . Updated: 02 Feb 2023, 03:59 PM IST
Premium- The study has found that consuming consuming ultra processed food increases risk of ovarian and brain cancer
Ultra processed food like mass produced bread, ice cream, breakfast cereals, ham and crisps are among the list of food that can cause cancer, according to a study funded by Cancer Research UK and the World Cancer Research Fund.
The study has found that consuming consuming ultra processed food increases risk of ovarian and brain cancer. The researchers found that for every 10% increase in ultra-processed food in a person’s diet, there was a 2% increased risk of cancer overall, and a 19% increased risk for ovarian cancer specifically, according to the Independent report.
In the latest study conducted by researchers of Imperial College of London, experts have found that mass produced food may have some link to a higher risk of various types of cancer, according to a report published in Independent.
The researchers have called for front-of-pack warning labels, considering people all over the world tend to consume more and more of Ultra Processed food (UPF).
How UPFs can be a cancer-risk?
UPFs usually contain ingredients that people would not add when they are cooking homemade food such as chemicals, colourings, sweeteners and preservatives to extend shelf-life.
Previous studies have suggested a link between UPFs and heart disease, dementia, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Researchers said the latest findings were based on observations where people reported what they had eaten and said any suggested link between UPFs and cancer cannot be proven.
However, it is to be noted that not all processed food is bad.The NHS says some foods need processing to make them safe, such as milk, which needs to be pasteurised to remove bacteria.
Study details:
The study, published in eClinicalMedicine, the team used UK Biobank data to examine the diets of 197,426 people aged 40 to 69. Their health was tracked over a decade and their risk of developing cancer or dying from it was also analysed.
The study found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a greater risk of developing cancer overall, and specifically ovarian and brain cancers. It was also linked to an increased risk of dying from cancer.
These links held true even after adjusting for factors that may alter the results, such as exercise, body mass index (BMI) and deprivation.
