Ultra-processed foods cause colorectal cancer? The study says check the label

Claim

ULTRA-PROCESSED CANCER?

Catch

NOT ALL UPF EQUAL

Verdict

INGREDIENTS OVER LABELS

A study of 461,682 U.S. adults followed for about 19 years challenges the idea that all ultra-processed foods (UPFs) raise colorectal cancer risk. Published October 15, 2026, in PLOS Medicine and led by Erikka Loftfield of the National Cancer Institute, the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study found no overall link between total ultra-processed food intake and colorectal cancer incidence. Drill down, though, and the picture changes: ultra-processed processed meat was linked to higher risk, while ultra-processed whole grains and dairy products were linked to lower risk. Swapping just 10% of ultra-processed food weight for minimally processed food was tied to a 2% lower risk. UPFs deliver more than half of American adults' calories — so the category matters less than what's actually in the food. Observational, one diet questionnaire from 1995, and a mostly older white American cohort mean association, not proof.

SOURCES

1. Loftfield E, Abar L, O'Connell CP, et al. "Associations of food processing and dietary risk factors with colorectal cancer incidence in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study: A cohort study." PLOS Medicine. 2026;23(10):e1005251. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1005251
2. PLOS (October 21, 2026), "Massive study of 460,000 people challenges ultra-processed food cancer fears," ScienceDaily

For information only, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your diet and cancer risk.