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yesterday

High Ultra-Processed Food Consumption Tied to 41% Higher Lung Cancer Risk

Authors warn the Thorax study’s observational design prevents firm causality claims because it did not account for smoking intensity

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There was a link between lung cancer and ultraprocessed food consumption, even when accounting for whether or not a person smokes, the study showed.
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Overview

  • An international cohort of 101,732 US adults was tracked for an average of 12 years, during which 1,706 lung cancer cases were diagnosed, including both non-small cell and small cell types.
  • Participants in the highest quarter of UPF intake—averaging nearly three servings daily—had a 41% greater likelihood of developing lung cancer than those in the lowest quarter.
  • Results were adjusted for smoking status and overall diet quality but lacked information on smoking intensity and relied on a single baseline dietary assessment.
  • The study classified ultra-processed foods to include items such as processed meats, soft drinks, ice cream, fried snacks, baked goods, breakfast cereals, instant noodles and margarine.
  • Researchers call for further large-scale longitudinal studies and recommend policy measures like warning labels and strengthened dietary guidelines to curb UPF consumption.