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Even in moderation, consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked with measurable increases in risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancers, according to research.

The study showed that low but regular intake of processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and trans fatty acids (TFAs) can increase the risk of diseases like Type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and colorectal cancer.

While the risks have long been known, systematic characterisation of the dose-response relationships between these foods and health outcomes is limited, said the researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

In the paper published in the journal Nature Medicine, the team showed that consumption of processed meat between 0.6 grams and 57 grams daily can raise the risk of type 2 diabetes by at least 11 per cent compared with no consumption.

For colorectal cancer, the risk was 7 per cent higher for consumption between 0.78 grams per day and 55 grams per day. The relative risk of IHD was estimated at 1.15 at 50 grams per day intake.

Further, an intake of sugar-sweetened beverage intake between 1.5 and 390 grams daily was found to raise the average risk of type 2 diabetes by 8 per cent.

Intake between 0 and 365 grams per day was associated with a 2 per cent higher average risk of IHD.

“The new analysis supports dietary guidelines to reduce the consumption of processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages and trans-fatty acids — highlighting the need for a collaborative, meticulous health assessment framework for ultra-processed foods,” said the researchers in the paper.

The findings showed that the risk increased continuously at every level of consumption, with the steepest increases occurring at low habitual intake, approximately equivalent to one serving or less daily.

Several previous studies have linked ultra-processed foods, particularly processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, and trans fatty acids, with elevated chronic disease risks.

Estimates suggest that diets high in processed meat contributed to nearly 300,000 deaths worldwide in 2021, while diets rich in sugar-sweetened beverages and trans fats accounted for millions of disability-adjusted life years.

It is because processed meats preserved through smoking, curing, or chemical additives often contain compounds such as N-nitroso agents, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and heterocyclic amines — compounds implicated in tumour development, explained the researchers.

Walk through any trendy suburb and you might find a new “wellness” studio offering ice baths or “” (a sauna and ice bath combo).

Scroll social media, and you’re likely to come across  with cult-like zeal.

Ice baths have . Initially practised mainly among , cold water immersion is now a booming business model: sold as recovery, discipline and therapy all in one.

But the benefits  and, importantly, ice baths can have  – particularly for people who have limited experience using them.

From Roman times to today

Cold water immersion isn’t a new concept.

The “” – a room with a cold plunge pool or bath – was a feature in most Roman bathhouses.

For decades, athletes have used , such as swims in cold water, for recovery.

But in recent years, with the proliferation of , there’s been an explosion in people using ice baths recreationally.

Many people are even setting up their own ice baths at home. The  was valued at close to US$338 million in 2024 and is projected to reach nearly $483 million by 2033.

Social media shows serene influencers meditating through the pain, claiming it boosts mental health, serotonin, testosterone, and their metabolism. But does the evidence stack up?

Ice baths can reduce muscle soreness after intense training, however the .

 shows cold water immersion can improve mood after a single exposure in young, healthy people, but  doesn’t find these benefits.

Most claims about mental health, testosterone and weight loss aren’t backed by strong evidence. Rather, they’re anecdotal and .

Researchers say they have found a “powerful double weapon” that could help cancer patients keep their hair during chemotherapy.

The new method combines scalp cooling – where patients use cold caps to reduce hair loss from cancer drugs – with a lotion, comprised of antioxidants – some of which are found in red grapes.

Hailed as a “milestone,” researchers at Sheffield Hallam University also pinpointed the optimal temperature for scalp cooling to be most effective for keeping hair.

Cold caps are already used by some cancer patients during chemotherapy to help minimise the amount of hair they lose.

They work by restricting blood flow to the scalp, which reduces the amount of medication reaching the hair follicles.

But the team at Sheffield Hallam University found that cooling the scalp to 18C (64.4F) can prevent hair follicle damage, while 26C may not be enough, and that topical antioxidants could “transform the ability of cooling to protect” against hair loss.

Dr Nik Georgopoulos, an associate professor of cell biology and Transforming Lives fellow at Sheffield Hallam, told PA: “Chemotherapy drugs are drugs that kill rapidly dividing cancer cells, but they cannot discriminate between cancer cells and rapidly dividing normal cells in the body.

“At the base of our hair follicles are these rapidly dividing cells, or keratinocytes, that constantly grow and they end up forming the actual hair.”

For the study, published in Frontiers of Pharmacology, hair follicles were isolated from the scalp and grown in the lab before being treated with chemotherapy to study the impact.

“We show that they die,” Dr Georgopoulos said. “The cells that are rapidly dividing and grow the hair, they will die because of the toxicity of chemotherapy.

“But if you cool them, they are protected, and I don’t mean just protected – prevented from dying. So if cooling is used while the hair follicles are grown in the lab, it can completely prevent the toxicity.”

The associate professor noted, however, that “there is a catch – you have to use the right temperature,” but added that “our research has shown that cooling can slow down the cells, stops them from dividing – protection”.

He said that any issues with temperature could also be compensated with a topical location containing antioxidants like resveratrol, found in the likes of red grapes and peanuts, and dietary supplement N-Acetylcysteine. Dr Georgopoulos described the combination as a “powerful double weapon”.

Read more:
Blood test to ‘revolutionise’ NHS cancer treatment
Heatwave likely killed 263 in London, say scientists
New leukaemia treatment hailed as ‘milestone’

Dr Georgopoulos has also been working with Huddersfield-based business Paxman Scalp Cooling, which created a device that circulates coolant through a specially designed cooling cap.

The cooling cap is worn for half an hour before chemotherapy treatment commences, during treatment, and for up to 90 minutes after all the drugs have been given.

Researchers are now hoping to trial the technique using the Paxman device and are currently finalising the antioxidants to be used.