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Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Notably Higher Prostate Cancer Risks

New Florida Atlantic research adds to the growing evidence of the health risks linked to ultra-processed foods.

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Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) account for nearly 60% of adults’ and 70% of children’s energy intake in the United States. These industrially manufactured products – such as soft drinks, packaged cereals and snacks, and processed meats – are made with refined fats, oils, sugars, starches, salts and other additives that can enhance flavor, texture, and shelf life while reducing nutritional value.

Growing evidence links higher consumption of UPFs to a range of health problems. Research has identified several potential biological pathways through which UPFs may contribute to cancer. These include metabolic disruption, inflammation, oxidative stress, and changes to the gut microbiome. However, data are sparse about whether men who consume high amounts of UPFs have greater risks of prostate cancer.

Now, new research from �鶹Ů��’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine provides evidence that men with higher consumption of UPFs have increased risks of prostate cancer. In the U.S., prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer death among men after lung cancer.

Published in , the study provides analyses from a large and nationally representative data from 17,024 U.S. men ages 18 and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 through 2023. Researchers used two 24-hour dietary recalls to calculate the percentage of daily calories participants consumed from UPFs. Using the validated and widely used NOVA classification system, they divided participants into four groups, ranging from less than about 20% of calories from UPFs to more than 44%.

Men in the three higher-consumption groups of UPFs had a 29% greater risk of prostate cancer, while those in the two highest-consumption groups had a 30% greater risk, compared to those in the lowest consumption group. After adjustments for age, race and ethnicity, smoking, and poverty status, the increased risk remained significant, ranging from 24% to 31%. Men with the highest UPF intake alone had a possible 34% higher risk, although the finding did not reach statistical significance, potentially reflecting the smaller number of prostate cancer cases in that group.

“Among adult men in this nationally representative U.S. population, those who consumed higher amounts of UPFs had significantly higher risks of the subsequent development of prostate cancer,” said Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., FACPM, FACC, senior author and the First Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Population Health at �鶹Ů��’s College of Medicine. “These findings add to emerging evidence that UPFs have major adverse health effects and underscore the need for large-scale observational studies and randomized trials to adequately test the hypothesis.”

Previous studies have shown that people who consume larger amounts of UPFs have higher risks of overweight and obesity, metabolic disease, markers of inflammation, cardiovascular disease, principally heart attacks and strokes, as well as premature death.

This original research adds to the armamentaria of a major battle in which the priorities of the food  industry do not align with the needs of the U.S. public. The authors opine that just as the dangers of tobacco began to emerge during the middle of the prior century, decades passed before the preponderance of evidence and the efforts of forward-thinking health officials prompted policy changes to discourage cigarette use. The authors believe that this is likely to be a similar path for UPFs.

“Reducing consumption of UPFs is a complex public health challenge, particularly given how prevalent and accessible these products are,” said co-author Timothy De Ver Dye, Ph.D., professor and chair of �鶹Ů��’s Department of Population Health. “Healthcare providers should recognize that many patients face barriers to accessing and affording healthier food options. Addressing these challenges will require efforts that extend beyond individual choices to support greater access to nutritious, minimally processed foods.”

Prostate cancer is a major health concern in the U.S. and worldwide. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 333,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the U.S. in 2026, with more than 36,000 expected to die from the disease. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, nearly 1.5 million men worldwide were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022, and nearly 400,000 died from the disease.

“All healthcare professionals should encourage patients to adopt healthy lifestyle practices and evidence-based therapies, while also helping them reduce their consumption of ultra-processed foods,” Hennekens said. “Patients and their healthcare providers should consider this finding as part of broader efforts to promote healthier dietary choices.”

Study co-authors are �鶹Ů�� medical students Hunter Scott and John Dunn as well as Yanna Willett, a doctoral student at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

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