Are those ready-to-eat snacks and ultra-processed meals doing more harm than you think?
Research suggests women under 50 who eat a lot of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may be at higher risk.
They may develop abnormal bowel growths. These growths are precursors to cancer.
UPFs—think packaged meals, sugary snacks, and foods loaded with additives—tend to be low in fiber and nutrients. They are high in fat, sugar, and salt.
While not all UPFs are automatically “bad,” Dr. Andrew Chan from Massachusetts General Hospital says they may partly explain rising bowel cancer rates.
These rates are increasing among younger people.
Chan’s team analyzed data from nearly 30,000 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II, tracking diet and colonoscopy results over decades.
Ultra-Processed Risks
They found women who averaged about 10 servings of UPFs a day had a 45% higher chance of developing conventional adenomas.
These are common polyps that can sometimes turn into cancer.
This is compared with those eating just three servings a day.
Interestingly, there was no link to another type of polyp called serrated lesions.
“This doesn’t mean eating UPFs will inevitably lead to cancer,” Chan emphasized.
“But it gives us clues about what might be driving rising rates in younger adults.”
Fiona Osgun from Cancer Research UK added that policy changes making healthy diets more accessible are crucial.
After all, she notes, “Our overall diet matters more for cancer risk than any single food.”
So maybe it’s time to ask: are those convenient meals worth the hidden cost to your health?
