Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) now supply nearly 60% of the calories consumed by adults in the United States and about 70% of those consumed by children. These industrially produced foods include soft drinks, packaged cereals, snacks, and processed meats. They are typically made with refined fats, oils, sugars, starches, salts, and other additives designed to improve flavor, texture, and shelf life, often while lowering nutritional quality.
A growing body of research has connected greater UPF consumption with a variety of health problems. Scientists have proposed several ways these foods could potentially contribute to cancer, including disruptions in metabolism, increased inflammation and oxidative stress, and changes in the gut microbiome. Until now, however, relatively little evidence has examined whether high UPF intake is associated specifically with prostate cancer in men.
Higher UPF Intake Linked to Prostate Cancer
New research from Florida Atlantic University's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine suggests that men who consume more UPFs may have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. In the U.S., prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and ranks second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death among men.
