UPF linked to lung cancer
- Study links ultra-processed foods to 41% higher lung cancer risk
- Processed meats, diet soft drinks, and white bread key contributors
- Risk increases sharply with first three daily servings
- Industrial processing and packaging chemicals may play a role
- Implications for reformulation and product strategy in food and beverage
- Further research needed
The health implications of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have been debated for years now, and it seems there’s no end in sight.
This year alone, researchers have linked ultra-processed foods to a 10% higher mortality risk, early development of Parkinson’s disease symptoms, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Now, researchers in China believe they’ve found links between consumption of ultra-processed foods, and lung cancer.
Could UPF cause lung cancer?
Many would be forgiven for thinking the sole causes of lung cancer are smoking, passive smoking and air pollution. However, it appears diet could also be a contributing factor.
A study, published in Thorax, has found that people who have a diet high in ultra-processed foods and beverages, face a 41% higher risk of developing lung cancer than those who have a diet low in ultra-processed foods.
The research analysed the diets of over 100,000 adults aged 55 to 74. The findings indicated that those who consumed the highest amounts of ultra-processed foods had hazard ratios of 1.41 for all lung cancer, 1.37 for non-small cell lung cancer and 1.44 for small cell lung cancer, compared with those who consumed the least.
What’s more, those figures held after accounting for whether the individual was a smoker or not, the overall quality of their diet, body size, and multiple other variables.
According to the research team, processed meats, diet soft drinks and white bread were found to be the biggest single contributors to ultra-processed food and beverage intake, within the study group.
The median participant averaged nearly three servings of these packaged products each day.
Potential risks
Study statisticians, who analysed the data, noted a non-linear dose response curve. This means the risk of developing lung cancer climbed fastest between the first and third daily servings, then rose more slowly after that.
Ultra-processed foods account for an average of 27% of daily calorie intake in Europe (EuroHealthNet), with some countries reaching as high as 44%.
Furthermore, global market growth echoes that trend, as consumers are drawn to the benefits of ultra-processed foods and beverages, such as affordability, and reliable taste and texture experiences.
However, these products are typically also high in sugar, salt, and saturated fats, as well as containing additives to help prolong shelf life. They’re also often low in nutrients, though this isn’t always the case.
When looking at the reasons behind the potential connection between ultra-processed foods and lung cancer, the team hypothesised that it could relate to the fact that industrial formulation changes the food matrix, altering how nutrients and contaminants interact with human tissue.
Added to this, heating and smoking meats can produce acrolein, a reactive aldehyde also abundant in cigarette smoke. Laboratory work shows acrolein damages mitochondrial DNA, triggers mitochondrial fission and promotes cell stress in human lung cells.
Package leaching, say the researchers, adds another layer of concern. Serum studies have linked elevated polychlorinated biphenyls to higher lung cancer odds, possibly via estrogen receptor signaling in lung tissue.
It’s important to note that, while the study controlled for body mass index, obesity itself could cause chronic inflammation, which has been linked to multiple cancers. The researchers highlighted that further investigation is needed on this.
Smoking intensity data, for participants who were smokers, was also unavailable, leaving further gaps in understanding.
Finally, the cohort was mostly white and well educated. Findings may differ in a younger, more diverse study group.
What does this mean for food and beverage?
As evidence mounts, linking ultra-processed foods to serious health risks including lung cancer, food and beverage companies may face growing pressure to reformulate, improve transparency, and invest in cleaner processing technologies.
While further research is needed to confirm causality and explore mechanisms, the findings underscore the importance of proactive risk management and innovation in product development.
For brands operating in the ultra-processed food and beverage space, health-driven reformulation may well lead to a rise in sales as consumers become increasingly concerned over the potential health implications of ultra-processed foods. However, maintaining taste and texture, could prove challenging.