Half of foods in everyday diet add to risk of cancer

FOODS that make up half of the typical British diet are contributing to the risk of cancer, a major study has claimed.

Scientists said common daily fare, including most breakfast cereals, breads, snacks and convenience meals, appear to endanger the nation’s health.

A number of past studies have linked cancer to “ultra-processed” foods, which are mass produced and contain chemicals, colourings, sweeteners and preservatives, but researchers said the latest research, by Imperial College London, is the most comprehensive yet.

It involved almost 200,000 people, aged 40 to 69, who were tracked for more than a decade to assess their risk from 34 cancer types.

The Imperial team said their findings were particularly concerning because of the “exceptionally high” intake of processed foods by Britons, for whom it makes up around half the daily calorie intake. For every 10 per cent increase in ultra-processed food in a person’s diet, the chance of cancer rose by 2 per cent, while cancer deaths were 6 per cent up.

Some of the sharpest rises were seen in breast and ovarian disease, where

‘Average person gets more than half of their energy from ultra-processed foods ... this is exceptionally high’

cancer mortality increased by 16 and 30 per cent respectively.

Dr Kiara Chang, a researcher, said: “The average person in the UK consumes more than half of their daily energy intake from ultra-processed foods. This is exceptionally high and concerning as ultra-processed foods are produced with industrially derived ingredients and often use food additives to adjust colour, flavour, consistency, texture, or extend shelf-life.”

The study, funded by Cancer Research UK and the World Cancer Research Fund, cannot prove a direct link because it was observational research based on recall and cannot establish cause and effect. High intake of such foods can also be a marker for other poor diet choices.

However, the researchers called for warning labels on processed foods, urging people to limit their intake and said that the sugar tax should be extended to cover more processed products.

Countries including France, Canada and Brazil, have updated dietary guidelines to limit such foods but no such measures are in place in the UK.

Ultra-processed foods usually have ingredients that people would not add

when they are cooking at home. The most commonly eaten ultra-processed foods in the UK are mass-produced bread, ready meals, breakfast cereals, reconstituted meat such as ham, sweets, biscuits, buns and cakes.

Previous studies have suggested a link between ultra-processed foods and heart disease, as well as obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

In the new study, published online in eclinical medicine, the team used UK Biobank data to examine the diets of 197,426 people. Their health was tracked over a decade and their risk of developing cancer or dying from it was also analysed.

The study found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a greater risk of developing cancer overall, and specifically ovarian and brain cancers. It was also associated with a higher risk of death, most notably from ovarian and breast cancers. These links held true even after adjusting for factors that may alter the results, such as exercise, smoking. body mass index and deprivation.

Dr Panagiota Mitrou, director of research and innovation at the World Cancer Research Fund, said: “The findings in this first UK study of its kind are significant as this is the most comprehensive assessment of ultra-processed foods and cancer risk. This adds to the growing evidence linking these foods to cancer and other health conditions.”

Dr Mitrou said people should limit the consumption of “fast foods” and other processed foods high in fat, starches or sugars.

“For maximum benefit, we also recommend that you make wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and pulses a major part of your usual diet,” she added.