Warning: This article contains discussion of cancer which some readers may find distressing.
A common diet has been described as 'worse than smoking' due to its links to the development of bowel cancer.
NHS doctor Chris van Tulleken, author of the book Ultra Processed People, recently appeared on the Diary of a CEO podcast to say these kinds of foods have 'overtaken tobacco as the leading cause of early death on planet Earth'.
In essence, they're a bigger hazard to the health of humanity than smoking, and studies have connected them to a rise in poor health including cases of bowel cancer.
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Indeed, these are known as ultra-processed foods (UPFS), and include staples of the supermarket shop like mass-produced bread, breakfast cereals, ham, sausages and crisps.
Why are ultra-processed foods so harmful?
These foods often contain high levels of saturated fat, salt and sugar, as well as additives and ingredients that are not typically used in home cooking, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colours and flavours.
And when we eat them, we leave less room in our diets for more nutritious foods, the British Heart Foundation explains.
The additives in these foods could also be responsible for negative health effects.
The link between ultra-processed foods and the risk of bowel cancer
A study from China found that a high rate of consumption for ultra-processed foods was 'significantly associated' with a higher risk of colorectal cancer, and that the UK had a lot of these foods as part of our diets.
They found that for kids UPFS were responsible for 65.4 percent of energy intake, rising to 67.8 in adolescents and dropping to 54.3 for adult diets.
So, people are eating a lot of these things all throughout their lives and numerous studies have linked this food with a higher rate of bowel cancer.
Cancer Research UK warns we're not at the point where we can say ultra-processed foods directly cause cancer, only that several studies have made a connection between them and higher risks of cancer.
They also noted that it's hard to prove direct links between food and cancer because people eat a lot of things, so pinning the blame on one kind of food in particular is difficult to do when the people being studied have had plenty of other things in their diet.
Still, they have their opponents as Dr Tulleken reckons these foods shouldn't even be called food at all, but 'industrially processed edible substances' just to hammer home how artificial this form of sustenance is.
He said: "There is a decade of evidence now that is extremely clear that it is ultra-processed food that is responsible, not just for pandemic weight gain and obesity, but also for a long list of other health problems, including early death."
The doctor suggested treating these foods like they were an addictive substance might do the trick and his advice to people wanting to change their diets was to read the ingredients list and be 'disgusted' by all the things in it.
According to Cancer Research UK the rising rates of bowel cancer in young people is a 'global phenomenon' as a study of 50 countries found that in 27 of them rates were increasing.
What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?
The NHS explains that common symptoms include:
- Changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
- Needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
- Blood in your poo, which may look red or black
- Bleeding from your bottom
- Often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet
- Stomach pain
- A lump in your stomach
- Bloating
- Losing weight without trying
- Feeling very tired or short of breath – these are signs of anaemia, which can be caused by bowel cancer
If you're concerned or are experiencing symptoms, contact your GP or healthcare professional immediately.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Topics: Cancer, Bowel cancer, Health, Food And Drink
Joe Harker