Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to High Risk of Colon Cancer in Women, Study Finds

For several years, healthcare providers have noticed a rise in colorectal cancer cases among young people. Now, research shows that the consumption of ultra-processed foods can be a big contributing factor, especially for women.

The study — published Nov. 13 in JAMA Oncology — analyzed more than 29,000 women in their 20s, 30s and 40s from 1991 to 2015. Researchers found that those who consumed the highest levels of ultra-processed foods (about 10 servings a day) had a 45% higher risk of developing polyps, precancerous growths, in the colon. This was compared to those who had the lowest amounts (about three servings a day) of ultra-processed foods in their diets.

Polyps can be removed if detected early. However, if left untreated, they can grow and turn into cancer.

The study notes that ultra-processed foods make up 70% of the U.S. food supply. These are foods that have one or more ingredients that wouldn’t be found in a kitchen, like artificial colors and flavors, chemical-based preservatives for shelf stability, emulsifiers like hydrogenated oils, and sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. 

Examples of ultra-processed foods include sodas, prepackaged snacks like chips, cookies, and crackers, candy, frozen and ready-to-eat meals, lunch meats, jerky and hotdogs. 

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Dr. Andrew Chan, gastroenterologist at Mass General Brigham in Boston and senior study author, explained that ultra-processed foods can disrupt the balance of “good” and “bad” microbes in the gut and cause damage to the protective lining of the intestines. This can lead to the growth of abnormal cells.

The increased risk seems to be fairly linear, meaning that the more ultra-processed foods you eat, the more potential that it could lead to colon polyps,” he said in a release. 

Dr. Marian Neuhouser, a nutritional epidemiologist at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle who was not involved in the study, told The New York Times that not all ultra-processed foods are bad for you. She said some foods like yogurts, whole-grain breads and breakfast cereals can provide certain nutrients to lower the risk of colon cancer.

“We think of those as protective foods,” Neuhouser said.

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Additionally, Dr. Robin Mendelsohn, a gastroenterologist at New York City’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center who was not involved in the study, explained that one limitation of the research was that it was centered on a specific group of people — female nurses, most of whom were white. She told the outlet that the study will need to be replicated in other groups to get a better picture.

However, the results are consistent with several previous studies that have analyze the effects of ultraprocessed foods.

“Diet isn't a complete explanation for why we're seeing this trend — we see many individuals in our clinic with early onset colon cancer who eat very healthy diets,” said Chan. “Identifying other risk factors for early onset colorectal cancer is one of the focuses of the work that we're leading here at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute.”