Academics have discovered a potential link between high consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and an increased risk of lung cancer.
An international research team tracked the health and dietary habits of over 100,000 adults in the US, with an average age of 63.
After an average follow-up period of 12 years, the researchers identified 1,706 cases of lung cancer.
Food questionnaires revealed the consumption of various UPFs, including ice cream, fried foods, commercial bread, cakes, pastries, salty snacks, breakfast cereals, instant noodles and soups, margarine, confectionery, soft drinks, sweetened fruit drinks, hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza.
The research team, led by academics in China, determined that the average UPF consumption was nearly three servings per day, ranging from 0.5 to six servings.
Lunch meat and soft drinks were the most frequently consumed UPF types.
Individuals with the highest UPF consumption were 41% more likely to develop lung cancer than those with the lowest consumption, according to the study published in the journal Thorax.
The increased risk was observed for both non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer.
The authors acknowledged that while they adjusted for smoking status, they did not adjust for smoking intensity, which could influence the findings.
They emphasized that “causality cannot be determined” based on their findings and that the data should be interpreted cautiously.
“Although additional research in other populations and settings is warranted, these findings suggest the healthy benefits of limiting UPF,” the authors reiterated.
They further noted: “Limiting trends of UPF intake globally could contribute to reducing the burden of lung cancer.”
Commenting on the study, Professor Sam Hare, consultant chest radiologist at the Royal Free London NHS Trust, stated: “As a quarter of lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers, research into other potential factors is crucial.”
“The link between immunity and cancer biology warrants research into dietary factors.”
“However, more research is required to establish direct causation between UPFs and lung cancer. Critically, while the study adjusts for smoking status, the amount of smoking is not factored in, which is known to be directly related to lung cancer development.”
“Dietary habits also change considerably over the course of long-term studies, making it difficult to directly conclude that lung cancer is solely related to initial UPF consumption.”
“Nevertheless, given the relative lack of information on non-smoking-related risk factors in lung cancer, further research like this is vital to advance early diagnosis in non-smokers, even though this particular study does not provide definitive answers yet.”
