Intake of ultra-processed food: its relationship with cancer and increased risk of death - British research

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

超加工食品の摂取、がん発症・死亡リスク増大と関係　英研究

2023.02.01 Wed posted at 21:53 JST

（ＣＮＮ） 冷凍食品や出来合いの食品など超加工食品の摂取量が多いほど、がんの発症や死亡リスクが増大するという調査結果が１月３１日の医学誌に発表された。この調査は英国で約１９万７０００人を対象に実施。調査対象者の半数超は女性で、特に卵巣がんのリスクが高いことが分かった。

超加工食品には、出来合いのスープやソース、冷凍ピザ、調理済み食品、ホットドッグ、ソーセージ、フライドポテト、ソーダ、市販のクッキー、ケーキ、キャンディー、ドーナツ、アイスクリームなどが含まれる。

論文の第１筆者で英インペリアル・カレッジ・ロンドン公衆衛生校フェローのキアラ・チャング氏によると、そうした食品は工業由来の成分で製造され、色や香り、食感を加えたり賞味期限を長引かせたりする目的で食品添加物が使われることが多い。

「超加工成分や添加物に対する私たちの体の反応は、ほとんど加工されていない新鮮で栄養豊富な食品に対する反応とは異なる」（チャング氏）

この研究にはかかわっていない英アストン医学校のデュアン・メラー氏によると、超加工食品の摂取量が多い人は、紅茶やコーヒーよりも炭酸飲料を多く飲み、野菜など健康な食生活に関連した食品の摂取量が少ない傾向がある。

このためがんのリスク増大は超加工食品のみの影響ではなく、健康的な食品の摂取量が少ないことの影響を反映している可能性があるとメラー氏は指摘する。

今回の研究では超加工食品の摂取と３４種類のがんとの関係について、１０年間にわたって調査した。

２００６～１０年にかけて住民を追跡調査したデータベースで１９万７４２６人の食生活を調べた結果、超加工食品が食事に占める量は、少ない人で９．１％、多い人で４１．４％だった。

インペリアル・カレッジ・ロンドンの発表によると、食事パターンと病歴を照らし合わせて調べた結果、超加工食品の摂取量が１０％増えると、がんの発症が２％増えることが判明。特に卵巣がんと診断されるリスクは１９％上昇した。

がんによる死者も増えることが分かった。超加工食品の摂取量が１０％増えるごとに、がんによる死亡リスクは６％増大し、卵巣がんによる死亡リスクは３０％増大していた。

喫煙や運動などの要因を考慮して調整した後も、こうした相関関係は変わらなかった。

研究チームによると、超加工食品の摂取量が最も多いのは若者で、家族ががんになったことがある人は少なかった。また、体を動かすことが少なく、肥満と分類される人が多いことも判明。世帯収入や学歴は低く、低所得者の多い地域の住民が多い傾向があった。

今回の調査で判明したのは超加工食品とがんとの関係のみで、因果関係は証明されていないと、論文筆頭筆者のエスター・バモス氏は説明する。それでも「健康のために超加工食品を減らすことの重要性は、他の証拠でも裏付けられている」と指摘した。

Translation

(CNN) According to a study published in the medical journal January 31, the higher the consumption of ultra-processed foods, such as frozen and ready-made foods, the higher the risk of developing cancer and death. The survey surveyed about 197,000 people in the UK. More than half of those surveyed were women, who were found to be at particularly high risk of ovarian cancer.

Ultra-processed foods include ready-made soups and sauces, frozen pizza, prepared foods, hot dogs, sausages, French fries, sodas, store-bought cookies, cakes, candies, donuts, and ice cream.

According to Kiara Chang, the first author of the paper and a Fellow at Imperial College London School of Public Health, such foods erre made with industrially sourced ingredients, food additives were used for the purpose of add color, flavor, texture and extended shelf life.

"Our bodies react differently to ultra-processed ingredients and additives than they do to fresh, nutrient-rich foods that are largely unprocessed" (Chang)

Duane Mellor from Aston Medical School in England who was not involved in the study, said that people with higher ultra-processed food intakes, tended to drinking more carbonated beverages than tea and coffee, and low at taking food associated with healthy diets such as vegetables.

Mellor said, an increase risk of cancer was not the only the impact of ultra-processed foods, the possibility was that it might reflect the effects of eating less healthy foods.

The study looked at the relationship between eating ultra-processed foods and 34 types of cancer over a 10-year period.

A database that tracked residents from 2006 to 2010 was used to examine the dietary habits of 197,426 people, and found that ultra-processed foods accounted for 9.1% of the diet for those who consumed only a small amount, and 41.4% for those who consumed a large amount.

According to a report from Imperial College London, based on the result of a study that compared dietary patterns and medical history, it was found that a 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake was related to a 2% increase in the onset of cancer. In particular, the risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer increased by 19%.

The number of deaths due to cancer was also increasing. For every 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake, the risk of dying from cancer increased by 6% and the risk of dying from ovarian cancer increased by 30%.

These correlations persisted even after adjusting factors such as smoking and exercise.

The researchers found that young people ate the ultra-processed foods most, and few had a family history of cancer. In addition, it was found that there were many people who did not move their bodies and were classified as obese. Many of them tended to live in areas with many low-income people that had low household income and minimal educational background.

The study only found a link between ultra-processed foods and cancer, not a causal link, said lead author Esther Vamos. Still, he pointed out that “other evidence supports the importance of reducing ultra-processed foods for the purpose of good health."

So, a study published recently shows that the higher the consumption of ultra-processed foods, such as frozen and ready-made foods, the higher the risk of developing cancer and death. It makes sense that for purpose of good health and to reduce the risk of developing caner, we should try to eat less ultra-processed foods.