Can Eating Packaged Foods Increase Colon Cancer Risk?

Packaged food and ultra processed food (Credits: iStock)

A packet of chips during a work break, instant noodles on a busy evening or a ready-to-eat meal when cooking feels like too much effort. Ultra-processed foods have become part of everyday life, but concerns about their long-term health effects have also grown. One question that continues to draw attention is whether these foods could increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

Research on the subject has produced mixed findings, and the latest report brings an important distinction into focus: the absence of a clear link is not the same as proof that a food is harmless.

A study published in The BMJ examined the association between ultra-processed food consumption and colorectal cancer risk among 2,06,248 men and women enrolled in three large US health-professional cohorts. Participants' diets were assessed every 4 years, with researchers tracking cancer diagnoses over approximately 24-28 years.

The researchers documented 3,216 cases of colorectal cancer during the follow-up period. Their findings were not uniform across the sexes. Men with the highest consumption of ultra-processed foods had a 29% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than those with the lowest consumption. The association was particularly pronounced for cancer in…

Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/lifestyle