Beware! 'Junk food' may increase cancer risk

Beware! 'Junk food' may increase cancer risk

Arizona (Web DESK): Recent research found, "Women who eat junk food such as burgers or pizza are increasing their risk of cancer even if they're not overweight, new research has warned."

The story is based on research from the US looking at the diet of postmenopausal women in the 1990s and then tracking the development of a variety of cancers over about 15 years.

"Junk food" is often defined as food that is rich in calories (energy dense food) but low in nutrients.

Having a diet high in energy dense foods, such as biscuits, chocolate and pizza was found to increase the risk of cancer in these women, specifically in those of a healthy weight, which was defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of between 18.5 and 24.9. This suggests that having a healthy weight does not necessarily protect against cancer risk.

However the connections between diet, lifestyle and cancer outcomes are complex, and while the researchers attempted to adjust their results for other factors, we cannot say with certainty that energy dense foods increase your cancer risk.

The analysis was limited to postmenopausal women and did not consider drink intake, such as sugary drinks and alcohol, which can also be high in calories.

Still, having a healthy, balanced diet will help you get all the nutrients you need and may reduce your risk of developing cancer.

Monitoring Report!