Study: Men who consume more ultra-processed foods may have a 30% increased risk of prostate cancer

Studies have found that men with higher intakes of ultra-processed foods, including soft drinks, packaged cereals, snacks and processed meats, have a higher risk of prostate cancer; pictured here.

[Health Channel/Comprehensive Report] Eating too much ultra-processed food may increase the risk of prostate cancer! A US study analyzed more than 17,000 adult men and found that those with higher intakes of ultra-processed foods had a 29% to 30% higher risk of developing prostate cancer than those with the lowest intakes. The study serves as a warning that the public should pay attention to the proportion of ultra-processed foods in their daily diet to avoid excessive intake in the long term.

Nephrologist Jiang Shoushan reminded the public on Facebook "Dr. Jiang Shoushan" that eating more ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of prostate cancer by 30%! Ultra-processed foods (UPF) currently provide nearly 60% of the calorie intake of U.S. adults and about 70% of the calorie intake of children. These industrially produced foods include soft drinks, packaged cereals, snacks and processed meats. They are often made using refined fats, oils, sugars, starches, salts and other additives designed to improve flavor, mouthfeel and shelf life, often at the expense of nutritional value.

A new study from the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University shows that men who eat more microfiber foods may have a higher risk of prostate cancer, Jiang said. In the United States, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men and the second leading cause of cancer death in men, after lung cancer. The study, published in the American Journal of Medicine, analyzed nationally representative data from 17,024 American men aged 18 and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2003 and 2023.

To estimate ultra-processed food intake, researchers analyzed two 24-hour dietary recalls from each participant and calculated the proportion of daily calorie intake that came from ultra-processed foods. These foods are classified using the proven and widely used NOVA system. The participants were then divided into four groups, with the proportion of calories provided by ultra-processed foods ranging from less than about 20% to more than 44%.

The study showed that men in the three groups with the highest intake of ultra-processed foods had a 29% higher risk of prostate cancer compared with the group with the lowest intake of ultra-processed foods. Men in the two highest intake groups had a 30% higher risk of prostate cancer. The association remained statistically significant after the researchers adjusted for factors such as age, race, ethnicity, smoking status and poverty status. After adjustment, the risk increase ranged from 24% to 31%.

"In this nationally representative study of American adult men, those with higher intakes of ultra-processed foods had a significantly higher risk of prostate cancer," said the study's senior author.