Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods may be linked to an increased risk of developing and dying from cancer, according to a new study based upon the health records of nearly 200,000 people in the United Kingdom.
In the study, published online in eClinicalMedicine, scientists defines ultra-processed foods (UPFs) as products made by assembling industrially-derived food substances and additives through extensive industrial processes.
Most soft drinks, mass-produced packaged breads, breakfast cereals, sweet packaged snacks, and ready-to-eat meals fall under this category.
“UPFs contain little or no whole foods and are often energy dense, high in salt, sugar and fat, low in fibre, and liable to overconsumption,” the scientists note. “They are aggressively marketed with strong brands to promote consumption and are gradually displacing traditional dietary patterns based on fresh and minimally processed foods.”…