Scientists confirmed that ultra-processed foods increase cancer risk.
Snacks and other ultra-processed foods contain fat molecules that trigger inflammation, raising the risk of colorectal cancer.
The Financial Times reported on December 10th that research containing these findings was published in the medical journal Gut.
Timothy Yeatman, co-author of the study and professor of surgery at the University of South Florida, explained, “Cancer is like a chronic wound that won’t heal. If you frequently consume ultra-processed foods, its ability to heal that wound decreases due to inflammation and suppression of the immune system that ultimately allows the cancer to grow.”
The research team analyzed 162 tissue samples from cancer patients at Tampa General Hospital, focusing on small fat molecules called “lipids.”
The samples from cancerous tissues contained significantly higher levels of lipids that cause inflammation compared to the adjacent healthy cells. These inflammatory lipids are commonly found in ultra-processed foods.
Yeatman noted that the high consumption of ultra-processed foods in the United States likely indicates higher levels of these lipids in Americans’ bodies.
The study also found that cancer patients’ tissue cells lacked lipids that help reduce inflammation, which are abundant in fish and nuts.
“The human immune system can be extremely powerful and can drastically impact the tumor micro-environment,” Yeatman stated. “Maintaining a healthy immune system is crucial in suppressing cancer.”
He emphasized, “However when inflammatory lipids from processed foods suppress the immune system, it can’t function effectively.”
Colorectal cancer, now linked to ultra-processed food consumption, is the third most common cancer worldwide.
The World Health Organization’s Global Cancer Observatory reported 1.9 million new cases of colorectal cancer across 185 countries in 2022, with 900,000 related deaths.
Alarmingly, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has reported an increase in colorectal cancer cases among individuals under 55, which has been increasing by 1-2% annually since the mid-1990s.
This research is likely to draw attention from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee for U.S. Health Secretary, who has criticized the food industry for raising the obesity rates in the U.S. and hinted at potential regulations.
Kennedy’s nomination may provide additional leverage to address concerns within the food industry.
