Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine studied data from 17,024 U.S. men aged 18 and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2023. Utilizing the NOVA classification system and two 24-hour dietary recalls, they estimated the calorie intake from ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and compared this with self-reported cases of prostate cancer among participants.
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The findings, published in The American Journal of Medicine, revealed that men consuming higher amounts of UPFs faced significantly increased risks of prostate cancer. Specifically, those with elevated UPF intake showed a risk increase of 24% to 34% compared to those with lower intakes. The analyses accounted for variables such as age, race and ethnicity, smoking habits, and poverty status.
Co-author Timothy De Ver Dye, Ph.D., professor and chair of FAU’s Department of Population Health, emphasized the public health challenge of reducing UPF consumption due to their widespread availability. He noted that many patients encounter obstacles in accessing and affording healthier food options and called for broader efforts to improve access to nutritious, minimally processed foods.