Processed Foods Lead to Cancer
French studies: every 10% of ultra-processed food in the diet raises the risk of early death by 14% and cancer incidence by 12%.
French studies: every 10% of ultra-processed food in the diet raises the risk of early death by 14% and cancer incidence by 12%.
Fighting weight gain and obesity is a common and costly public health problem that leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
According to the latest data, 18.5% of American children and nearly 40% of adults suffer from obesity. This is a significant increase compared with 1999/2000 figures, when just under 14% of children and 30.5% of adults were affected. Studies have linked the increase in waist circumference to processed foods, sugary drinks, and a high-carbohydrate diet.
Over the past 200 years, sugar consumption has risen from 2 to 152 pounds per year. Although Americans are advised to get only 10% of their calories from sugar, the average intake is 42.5 teaspoons per day, while the recommended limit is about 13.
Sugary drinks and fruit juices are particularly harmful: each daily serving raises a child's risk of developing obesity by 60%. A refined high-carbohydrate diet increases the risk of lung cancer by as much as 49%.
Between 1970 and 2009, daily calorie intake grew by an average of 425, or 20%. This growth is largely driven by increased consumption of sugar and processed foods.
Ultra-processed products at the far end of the "significantly altered" spectrum make up 60% of the American diet. The developed world as a whole consumes significant amounts of processed foods. It has been estimated that 40% of healthcare spending in America is attributable to diseases directly linked to excessive sugar consumption.
As a rule, ultra-processed foods can be identified as products that meet one or more of the following conditions:
A recent study of more than 44,000 people followed over seven years warns that ultra-processed foods increase the risk of early death. The French team found that for every 10% increase in the share of such products in the diet, the risk of death rose by 14%.
Another French study of 105,000 participants showed that a 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake raised the cancer incidence rate by 12%. The risk of developing breast cancer rose by 11% for every 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake.
Book a visit — we will pick a convenient time.