Higher intake of ultraprocessed foods is linked to greater mortality rates among cancer survivors, regardless of their overall diet quality. This finding comes from a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Dr. Marialaura Bonaccio, the study’s lead author from IRCCS Neuromed in Italy, explains that increased inflammation and a higher resting heart rate might help explain this connection. Essentially, the way these foods are processed could harm cancer survivors’ long-term health.
The research involved a detailed look at 802 cancer survivors who shared information about their diets as part of the Moli-sani study. This larger study included over 24,000 participants from the Molise region of Italy. Notably, ultraprocessed foods were classified using the Nova system, while diet quality was evaluated through the Mediterranean Diet Score.
During the study, 281 participants passed away. The results showed that those who consumed more ultraprocessed foods had a 48% higher risk of dying from any cause and a 57% higher risk of dying from cancer compared to those who ate the least. Dr. Bonaccio noted that even when factoring in overall diet quality, the negative effects of ultraprocessed foods remained significant.
One major takeaway? The overall consumption of ultraprocessed foods matters more than worrying about individual items. Dr. Bonaccio encourages people to focus on their whole diet. She suggests swapping ultraprocessed foods for fresh, home-cooked meals when possible. A simple way to identify ultraprocessed foods is to check the labels: if a product contains more than five ingredients, or even just one additive, it’s likely ultraprocessed.
However, it’s important to remember that this study is observational. The authors caution against concluding causality from the results as all dietary information relied on participant self-reports.
This issue is crucial, especially in light of research indicating that around 58% of American adults consume ultraprocessed foods daily. The World Health Organization has also highlighted how such diets can increase the risk of various chronic diseases, including obesity and diabetes.
For further reading on the impact of ultraprocessed foods, visit the study’s page on Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
By making mindful food choices, especially post-cancer diagnosis, individuals may improve their chances of better health outcomes.
