Health: Ultra-Processed Food Linked to Cancer/Story: The Big Umbrella

Health corner: Ultra-Processed Food Linked to Cancer, Study Says Snacks, desserts and soda are associated with the disease Processed snacks, drinks and desserts may be associated with a higher risk of cancer, according to a new study. The research, published Wednesday in The BMJ, focused on ultra-processed foods, which tend to be high in fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt. (Past research has found that Americans get 61% of their calories from highly processed foods.) In the new study, researchers found that, among almost 150,000 French adults, a 10% increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in a person’s diet was correlated with a 12% higher risk of cancer. The paper is the first to explore the link between cancer and ultra-processed foods — that is, industrial formulations that typically contain many ingredients, including some not found in the typical kitchen — says study author Mathilde Touvier, an investigator at the Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center. By JAMIE DUCHARME http://time.com/5157885/processed-foods-cancer/ Story: The Big Umbrella. By Amy June Bates.