A link between processed foods and ovarian cancer?

Frozen pizzas, cookie dough, fries, sodas, sausages, sweets… All these processed foods could be at the origin of cancers, and particularly that of the ovary, according to a recent British study, carried out on more than 197,000 people.

The patients, taken from a large British database, were followed medically and indicated their eating habits. The study, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, involved more than 197,000 people in the UK. Scientists have examined the link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and 34 types of cancer over a period of 10 years.

Processed foods made up between 9.1% and 41.4% of study participants’ diets. Then the researchers compared their eating habits with medical records listing cancer diagnoses and deaths.

Ovarian cancer risk up 19%

What were the results ? Scientists from Imperial College of London have observed that every 10% of consumption of ultra-processed foods represented a 2% increase in the risk of cancer, and a 19% increase in the risk of developing ovarian cancer. The risk of dying from cancer also increased: by 6% for any type of cancer and by 30% in the case of ovarian cancer.

This is not the first time that a link has been observed between processed foods and cancer. Indeed, according to a recent study (Inserm, Inra, University of Paris 13) following the NutriNet-santé cohort for two years, a 10% increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet increases by more than 10 % the risk of developing cancer.

If these two studies are worrying, they will have to be confirmed by other studies. The causal link has not been demonstrated.

The public affected by this large consumption of processed products is also a public that tends to drink more sodas, less tea and coffee, and consume less fruit and vegetables. They are also patients who tend to do less physical exercise, to be more affected by overweight.

“This could mean that it may not be a specific effect of the ultra-processed foods themselves, but rather the impact of reduced consumption of healthier foods”Duane Mellor of Aston Medical School in Birmingham (and who was not involved in the study) told CNN .

The researchers therefore insist on not only taking into account the consumption of these processed foods, but also everything that may be lacking in the balance of their diet and their body in general, to explain the occurrence of these cancers. In other words, while waiting to learn more and as always, it is advisable to adopt a balanced diet and to prefer “homemade” to industrial dishes.

Sources:

• Ultra-processed food consumption, cancer risk and cancer mortality: a large-scale prospective analysis within the UK Biobank, eClinicalMedicine, 31 January 2023.
• Ultraprocessed foods linked to ovarian and other cancer deaths, study finds, CNN health, February 1, 2023.