A study of 461,682 Americans found no overall link between ultra-processed food and colorectal cancer, challenging common assumptions. Instead, effects varied by food type: whole grains and dairy lowered risk, while processed meat increased it.
01Summary
- 01Researchers tracked 461,682 Americans aged 50–71 from 1995–96 to 2018 (median 18.8 years) using the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.
- 02No overall association was found between total ultra-processed food consumption and colorectal cancer incidence.
- 03Higher consumption of ultra-processed whole grains, fibre, dairy, and calcium was linked to lower colorectal cancer risk.
- 04Greater intake of ultra-processed meat was associated with higher colorectal cancer incidence.
- 05Substituting 10% of ultra-processed food with minimally processed alternatives was linked to a 2% lower incidence of cancer.
02Why it matters
This matters because ultra-processed foods account for over half of American adults' calories, and the findings suggest dietary guidelines should focus on food content rather than processing level alone.
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