What you eat may impact your lung cancer risk, according to a new study – CTV
July 29, 2025
There are many reasons to avoid ultra-processed foods, including a link with heart disease, diabetes and obesity, but an increased risk of lung cancer may be yet another, a new study suggests.
Ultra-processed foods contain ingredients “never or rarely used in kitchens, or classes of additives whose function is to make the final product palatable or more appealing,” according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Those ingredients — found in items such as sodas, chips, packaged soups, chicken nuggets and ice cream — can include preservatives against mold or bacteria, artificial coloring, emulsifiers to stop separation, and added or altered sugar, salt and fats to make food more appealing.
People who eat the most ultra-processed foods are 41 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than those who eat the least, even after accounting for other factors such as smoking, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal Thorax.
