The incidence of early cancer in adults under the age of 50 is rapidly increasing… Korea also ranks first in the world for ‘young colorectal cancer’
Enter 2023.08.31 18:30 Hits 8 Enter 2023.08.31 18:30 Edit 2023.08.31 13:32 Hits 8
The incidence of cancer among young people is rapidly increasing, and excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods is one of the main causes.[사진=게티이미지]Cancer is no longer just a disease of the elderly. Recently, the incidence of gastrointestinal cancer is rapidly increasing even among young people under the age of 50.
According to a report recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Netwrok Open), early-onset cancers are rapidly increasing in the United States, and the incidence of gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal cancer, is rapidly increasing. The researchers analyzed health data from more than 560,000 people diagnosed with cancer between 2010 and 2019 at the age of 50 years old and found that the rate of cancer diagnosis in that age group increased from 100 to 103 cases per 100,000 population.
Korea is no exception. According to a paper published last year by a research team at the University of Colorado Medical Center in the international medical journal 《The Lancet》, the incidence of colorectal cancer is rapidly increasing worldwide. It ranked first among 42 countries surveyed with 12.9 per 10,000 people.
Why is it that even young people suffer from the threat of cancer? The US health information media ‘VeryWell Health’ pointed out that it is necessary to pay attention to excessive intake of ultra-processed foods, among many causes of early onset of cancer.
Dominating the diet, ultra-processed foods that threaten health
Ultra-processed foods use a lot of additives such as artificial colors and preservatives, and are highly modified foods through a lot of processing, such as hot dogs, instant ramen, cookies, and carbonated drinks. In the past, the British Guardian reported that about 55% of the average diet in the UK and the US is ultra-processed food, especially among young people, the poor, and people from poor areas, with ultra-processed food accounting for close to 80% of the diet.
Ultra-processed foods are high in salt or sugar and do not contain nutrients such as fiber as natural fresh foods. Therefore, excessive and continuous consumption can cause overweight, obesity, as well as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
According to a study conducted in 2019, there was a particularly high risk of weight gain. Twenty volunteers were provided with a diet consisting only of ultra-processed or natural foods for two weeks, and then changed the diet for two weeks to observe, so that both diets could provide almost the same nutrients. As a result, those who ate ultra-processed foods consumed about 500 more calories each day and gained 2 pounds (about 0.9 kg) in weight.
In addition, according to data published in the “British Medical Journal”, men who ate a lot of ultra-processed foods had a 29% higher risk of developing colon cancer than men who ate less. One of the most likely causes of cancer is metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by three or more of the following: △abdominal obesity △high triglyceride △low high-density cholesterol (HDL) △high blood pressure △impaired fasting blood sugar say to do
Processed and ultra-processed foods… What’s the difference?
What is the difference between processed food and ultra-processed food? Processed food refers to food that has undergone some degree of processing and has added seasonings such as salt or sugar and additives to ensure freshness. This includes fruit juice, refined flour, and cheese. Ultra-processed food refers to food made mainly of extracts of food, in which the shape of the raw material is lost due to many processing. These include chicken nuggets or sausages, frozen French fries, candy, and sugary cereal. When it comes to ultra-processed food, it is easy to think of ‘junk food’, but there may be ultra-processed food among the foods that we commonly think are healthy and eco-friendly, so we need to be careful about intake.
Can changing your diet prevent cancer?
So, if you improve your diet, can you not get cancer? To begin with, making lifestyle changes does not necessarily prevent cancer. Even in a world full of processed foods, it is realistically very difficult to have a meal that completely avoids ultra-processed foods every day.
However, if you are not yet over the age of 50, experts are of the common opinion that you need to reduce the risk factors that cause cancer as much as possible and build a foundation to maintain your health for a long time. It is good to reduce the intake of processed foods, including ultra-processed foods, as much as possible and consume enough fiber, whole grains, fruits, and non-starchy vegetables. In addition to this, it is also helpful to receive cancer screenings necessary for each age group and to exercise regularly and steadily. It is good to stay away from cigarettes and reduce alcohol as much as possible or drink only moderate amounts.
2023-08-31 09:30:20
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