Study: ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of prostate cancer

Researchers at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) are warning that a high consumption of ultra-processed foods — such as junk food, soft drinks, packaged cereals, and processed snacks — is associated with a significantly higher risk of prostate cancer, according to the dpa agency.

The study analysed medical data from approximately 18,000 men. The results show that those who frequently consumed ultra-processed foods had a 24% to 34% higher risk of developing prostate cancer, compared to those who consumed fewer such products. The findings were published in The American Journal of Medicine.

In analysing the data, the researchers took into account the participants' age, race, and ethnicity, as well as income levels and smoking status, in order to isolate as clearly as possible the link between diet and risk.

What the researchers say

Charles Hennekens, a professor of medicine at FAU, stated: "These findings add to the growing body of evidence that ultra-processed foods have significant adverse effects on health, and highlight the need for large-scale observational studies and randomised trials to adequately test this hypothesis."

Timothy De Ver Dye, Head of the Department of Public Health at FAU, drew attention to the practical difficulty of changing dietary habits: "Reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods is a complex public health challenge, particularly because these products are so widespread and easily accessible." He added: "Healthcare providers must bear in mind that many patients face difficulties in accessing or affording healthier foods."

The study's authors refer to the broader context of access to healthy food, given that food prices have risen sharply worldwide in recent years, against a backdrop of disruptions to production and trade caused by restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the conflict between Iran and the United States.