eat something type of food Researchers say this may increase the risk of developing deadly cancers at a younger age.
A new study from Massachusetts General Brigham links increased intake of ultra-processed foods, primarily ready-to-eat foods with high levels of sugar, salt, saturated fat, and food additives, to increased incidence of early-onset precursors. colorectal cancer.
Researchers analyzed more than 20 years of data on the diet and endoscopy results of nearly 30,000 women born between 1947 and 1964, according to a press release.
All women in the Nurses’ Health Study II had at least two lower endoscopy exams before age 50.
They completed a dietary questionnaire every four years about their intake of ultra-processed foods.
People who reported eating the most ultra-processed foods They found that those who ate the least amount (10 servings a day on average) had a 45% higher risk of developing adenomas than those who ate the lowest amount (3 servings a day).
Adenomas are growths in the lining of the colon or rectum. Although these are benign (non-cancerous), they are considered a precancerous type of polyp and may be an early warning sign of future colorectal cancer.
The study results were published in JAMA Oncology.
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“Our findings support the importance of reducing intake of ultra-processed foods as a strategy to reduce the increasing burden of early-onset diseases. colorectal cancer,” lead author Andrew Chan, a gastroenterologist and director of the Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit at the Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Institute, said in a press release.
“The increase in risk appears to be fairly linear, meaning the more ultra-processed foods you eat, the more likely you are to develop colon polyps.”
Researchers say previous studies have linked ultra-processed foods to colorectal cancer overall, but this is the first study to link ultra-processed foods to earlier-onset forms of the disease.
“One of the strengths of our study was that we had detailed information about participants’ other colorectal cancer risk factors. body mass index“Type 2 diabetes and low fiber intake,” Chan said, “remain associated with ultra-processed foods even after all of these other risk factors are taken into account.”
Researchers noted that other factors may contribute to the increase in early-onset colorectal cancer, and that some ultra-processed foods are more harmful than others.
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“Diet alone does not fully explain why we see this trend, and we see many people in our clinic with early-onset colon cancer who are eating significantly more. healthy eating” said Chan.
“Identifying other risk factors for early-onset colorectal cancer is one of the focuses of the research we are leading at Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Institute.”
Dr. Mark Siegel, a senior medical analyst at Fox News who was not involved in the study, said that while the study cannot prove causation because it is observational, it is “very interesting because it’s consistent with what we’re learning more and more about these drugs.”
“So they are systemic anti-inflammatory agents; insulin resistance and improve metabolic function.
“This is a metabolic disruption, especially when accompanied by inflammatory chemicals that can form precursors to cancer, including colon cancer.”
the doctor said he believed Further research It is confirmed that GLP-1 can reduce the risk of various types of cancer.
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“One word of caution: It may not work for everyone,” Siegel says. “The delayed gastric emptying associated with these drugs may be a carcinogenic factor for some patients, possibly the following: inflammatory bowel disease. ”
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This study was partially funded by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health Research/National Cancer Institute, and the American Cancer Society.
In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death. By 2025, it is predicted that there will be 154,000 new infections and approximately 52,900 deaths.
