Prospective cohort study of the association of ultraprocessed food consumption with risk of early-onset colorectal cancer precursors among women

Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC; diagnosed before age 50 years) incidence is increasing globally, in parallel with increased consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs). A prospective cohort study including participants of the Nurses’ Health Study II, an ongoing US prospective cohort study of female registered nurses established in 1989, evaluated the association of UPF consumption and risk of EOCRC precursors. In this cohort study of 29,105 nurses younger than 50 years at enrollment, who had completed the baseline 1991 food-frequency questionnaire and had undergone at least one lower endoscopy before age 50 years after baseline, those within the highest quintile of UPF intake had a statistically significant 45% higher odds of EOCRC conventional adenomas compared with the lowest quintile. No association was observed for serrated lesions. The authors conclude that these results suggest that reducing UPF intake may be an effective dietary strategy to prevent early-onset colorectal tumorigenesis.