Eating more ultra-processed foods (UPF) was linked to a substantially higher risk of prostate cancer in a recent large study in the U.S.A.

UPF consumption has long been associated with a variety of health problems. Until now, however, there has been little evidence linking high UPF intake specifically with prostate cancer.

New research from Florida Atlantic University's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine suggests that consumption of more UPFs may lead to an increased risk of developing the disease.

The study, published in The American Journal of Medicine, analysed nationally representative data from 17,024 U.S. men ages 18 and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2003 and 2023.

Compared with men in the lowest UPF consumption group, those in the three higher intake groups had a 29% greater risk of prostate cancer. Men in the two highest consumption groups had a 30% greater risk.

Perhaps more importantly the association remained statistically significant after researchers adjusted for age, race and ethnicity, smoking, and poverty status. Following those adjustments, the increased risk ranged from 24% to 31%.

"Among adult men in this nationally representative U.S. population, those who consumed higher amounts of UPFs had significantly higher risks of the subsequent development of prostate cancer," said Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., FACPM, FACC, senior author. "These findings add to emerging evidence that UPFs have major adverse health effects and underscore the need for large-scale observational studies and randomised trials to adequately test the hypothesis."