Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are linked to a higher risk of mouth, throat and esophageal cancer, and obesity may not be the only factor linking these foods to cancer, according to an international study led by the School of Medicine of University of Bristol and the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Ultra-processed foods are industrial preparations that are prepared in a complex way using ingredients not usually found in the kitchensuch as maltodextrin, hydrogenated oils and modified starches, and cosmetic additives such as emulsifiers, fragrances, colors and artificial sweeteners.

They are usually cheap, highly palatable and widely available, ready to eat. As a result, they often replace more nutritious, unprocessed or minimally processed foods in the diet.

Several studies have identified a correlation between consumption UPF and his cancer. As many of these foods have an unhealthy nutritional profile, the scientists in this study sought to determine whether the association between UPF consumption and cancers head, neck and esophagus could be explained by the increase in body fat.

The research analyzed diet and lifestyle data for 450,111 adults who were followed for about 14 years.

The analyzes showed that consuming 10% more UPF was associated with a 23% higher risk of head and neck cancers and a 24% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Increased body fat explained only a small percentage of the statistical association between the consumption of these foods and the risk of developing the specific cancers.

The authors point out that other mechanisms could explain the association, such as additives, including emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners, as well as contaminants from food packaging and the manufacturing process. However, they emphasize that further research is needed to identify the other mechanisms that may explain the observed relationships.

The research is published in the European Journal of Nutrition.