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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Men who eat more ultra-processed foods — think chips, frozen meals, and soft drinks — may face up to 34% higher risk of prostate cancer, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed data from over 17,000 U.S. men and found a consistent link between higher UPF intake and prostate cancer risk. Experts say clinicians should counsel patients to cut back on these foods, even as larger trials are needed to confirm the findings.
A new study published in The American Journal of Medicine found that men who consume more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) — including packaged snacks, soft drinks, frozen meals, and processed meats — had significantly higher risks of developing prostate cancer. Analyzing nationally representative NHANES data from 17,024 U.S. men collected between 2003 and 2023, researchers from Florida Atlantic University found that higher UPF intake was consistently associated with elevated prostate cancer risk, even after adjusting for age, race, smoking, and poverty status.
The leading proposed mechanism is inflammation — described by senior author Dr. Charles Hennekens as "a unifying hypothesis" linking UPFs to multiple adverse health outcomes. Researchers also point to gut microbiome disruption, metabolic interference, and oxidative stress as potential pathways. While the findings are compelling, the authors stress that larger randomized trials are needed to confirm causality.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among U.S. men, and diet is a modifiable risk factor. These findings give clinicians another evidence-based reason to counsel patients on reducing UPF consumption — a change that could also lower cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk.
