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Men who consume higher amounts of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may face a greater risk of developing prostate cancer, according to new research from Florida Atlantic University.
UPFs—including soft drinks, packaged cereals, snacks and processed meats—now account for nearly 60% of calories consumed by US adults and about 70% among children. They are typically made with refined fats, oils, sugars, starches, salts and additives to enhance flavour, texture and shelf life.
The study, published in The American Journal of Medicine, analysed nationally representative data from 17,024 US men aged 18 and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2023.
Researchers assessed participants’ diets using two 24-hour dietary recalls and classified foods according to the NOVA system. Participants were divided into four groups based on the proportion of their daily calories obtained from UPFs.
Men in the three higher-consumption groups had a 29% higher risk of prostate cancer than those in the lowest-consumption group. The two highest-intake groups showed about a 30% higher risk. After adjustments for age, race and ethnicity, smoking and poverty status, the increased risk ranged from 24% to 31%.
The researchers noted that men in the highest-consumption group appeared to have a 34% higher risk, although the result was not statistically significant.
“Those who consumed higher amounts of UPFs had significantly higher risks of the subsequent development of prostate cancer,” said senior author Charles H. Hennekens, a professor at FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine.
Scientists have proposed several mechanisms through which UPFs could affect cancer risk, including metabolic disruption, increased inflammation and oxidative stress, and changes to the gut microbiome. Previous studies have also linked high UPF consumption with obesity, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease and premature death.
The researchers cautioned that the findings show an association rather than proof that UPFs cause prostate cancer. They called for larger observational studies and randomised trials to further investigate the relationship.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among US men and the second-leading cause of cancer death among them. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 333,000 US men will be diagnosed with the disease in 2026, with more than 36,000 deaths expected.