A doctor has sounded a warning after noticing that all of his young cancer patients have the same thing in common. Oncologist Dr. Nicholas DeVito of Duke University in North Carolina, along with his colleagues, have observed a disturbing trend in patients they treat who are under the age of 45.
They all consume junk food, Dr. DeVito said. In the United States, about 75 percent of the population’s food is classified as ultra-processed, meaning it’s packed with additives and ingredients that can pose health risks. And research has repeatedly linked diets high in ultra-processed foods (UPF) to an increased risk of more than 30 health problems, including several types of cancer.
In an article in STAT News, the doctor wrote, “The desire to protect Americans from substances that cause cancer and other diseases should transcend party affiliation and political motivation to overcome industry lobbying. It was possible with tobacco and it is possible with food.”
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He added: “This will, of course, require Americans to make different choices about their diet, prioritizing their health over corporate profits and sometimes even their own convenience.”
Preliminary research suggests UPFs may disrupt the stomach microbiome, which is home to beneficial bacteria critical to our well-being. These foods have also been shown to irritate the intestinal walls and potentially trigger chronic inflammation – all factors that increase the risk of cancer, reports The Daily Record.
Worldwide, the number of cancer cases among young people has increased by 79 percent and the number of deaths by 28 percent. The United States ranks sixth in early-stage cancer, with 87 cases reported per 100,000 people under 50 years of age.
According to research by the American Cancer Society, 40 percent of cancers in the United States could be preventable because they are linked to modifiable factors. Modifiable factors include alcohol consumption, smoking habits, lack of exercise, and ultra-processed foods (UPF). A 2023 study published in Clinical Nutrition provided evidence of a “consistent significant association between UPF intake and the risk of overall and various cancers.”
Dr. DeVito said, “Diet can play a big role here. Knowledge of ingredients, the American food system and the effects of diet on the body is critical to reducing cancer rates.”
He drew parallels between the unregulated use of UPFs and tobacco consumption, for which regulations were only introduced in 2009. The doctor argued that joint actions by organizations and health experts could significantly impact the UPF market and, as a result, reduce the number of cancer-related deaths.
