Degree of food processing and breast cancer risk: a prospective study in 9 European countries

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Recent epidemiological studies have suggested a positive association between ultra-processed food consumption and breast cancer risk, although some studies also reported no association. Furthermore, the evidence regarding the associations between intake of food with lower degrees of processing and breast cancer risk is limited. Thus, we investigated the associations between dietary intake by degree of food processing and breast cancer risk, overall and by breast cancer subtypes in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Dietary intake of EPIC participants was assessed via questionnaires at baseline. More than 11,000 food ingredients were classified into four groups of food processing levels using the NOVA classification system: unprocessed/minimally processed (NOVA 1), culinary ingredients (NOVA 2), processed (NOVA 3) and ultra-processed (NOVA 4). Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of breast cancer per standard deviation increase in daily consumption (grams) of foods from each NOVA group. The current analysis included 14,933 breast cancer cases, diagnosed among the 318,686 EPIC female participants, (median follow-up of 14.9 years). No associations were found between breast cancer risk and the level of dietary intake from NOVA 1 [HR per 1 SD=0.99 (95% CI 0.97 – 1.01)], NOVA 2 [HR per 1 SD =1.01 (95% CI 0.98 – 1.03)] and NOVA 4 [HR per 1 SD =1.01 (95% CI 0.99 – 1.03)] foods. However, a positive association was found between NOVA 3 and breast cancer risk [HR per 1 SD =1.05 (95% CI 1.03 – 1.07)] which became non-significant after adjustment for alcohol intake [HR per 1 SD =1.01 (95% CI 0.98 – 1.05)] or when beer and wine were excluded from this group [HR per 1 SD =0.99 (95% CI 0.97 – 1.01)]. The associations did not differ by breast cancer subtype, menopausal status or body mass index. Findings from this large-scale prospective study suggest that the positive association between processed food intake and breast cancer risk was likely driven by alcoholic beverage consumption. Graphical Abstract

Source: Food Production Processing and Nutrition

DOI: 10.1186/s43014-024-00264-2

Authors: Manon Cairat, Sahar Yammine, Thibault Fiolet, Agnès Fournier, Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault, Nasser Laouali, Francesca Romana Mancini, Gianluca Severi, Fernanda Morales Berstein, Fernanda Rauber, Renata Bertazzi Levy, Guri Skeie, Kristin Benjaminsen Borch, Anne Tjønneland, Lene Mellemkjær, Yan Borné, Ann H. Rosendahl, Giovanna Masala, Maria Teresa Giraudo, Maria Santucci de Magistris, Verena Katzke, Rashmita Bajracharya, Carmen Santiuste, Pilar Amiano, Stina Bodén, Carlota Castro-Espin, Maria-Jose Sánchez, Mathilde Touvier, Mélanie Deschasaux-Tanguy, Bernard Srour, Matthias B. Schulze, Marcela Guevara, Nathalie Kliemann, Jessica Blanco Lopez, Aline Al Nahas, Kiara Chang, Eszter P. Vamos, Christopher Millett, Elio Riboli, Alicia K. Heath, Carine Biessy, Vivian Viallon, Corinne Casagrande, Genevieve Nicolas, Marc J. Gunter, Inge Huybrechts

Institutions: Inserm, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Université Paris-Saclay, Centre de recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations, Hôpital Paul-Brousse, Centre international de recherche sur le cancer, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, Université Paris Cité, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Centre de Recherche Épidémiologie et Statistique, University of Bristol, MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Universidade de São Paulo, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, University of Copenhagen, Danish Cancer Society, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, University of Turin, Federico II University Hospital, German Cancer Research Center, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Basque Government, Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute, Umeå University, Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Universidad de Granada, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada, Andalusian School of Public Health, University of Potsdam, German Institute of Human Nutrition, Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra, Navarre Institute of Health Research, Centro de Pesquisas Oncológicas, Imperial College London

Language: English

Topic: Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,290

Awards: G1055973116, G1192877484, G1313149160, G1767199718, G1993546569, G2235605558, G2372467518, G2539064604, G2748136894, G29072894, G2933204024, G3077395769, G3189789075, G3218507378, G3328679326, G3544161537, G3747421453, G375319704, G4079049029, G4089957676, G4187108342, G4213141252, G4378152838, G4421079832, Health of vegetarians, G459595259, G4639907500, G4844208673, G490534113, G493358262, G4968824801, G5004963360, Uncovering novel risk factors and molecular markers to improve the prevention and treatment of cancer, G558017500, G5636196886, G5763196120, G5851461211, G5897142711, G5990830295, G6022976577, G6766485657, G6923329853, G7426181285, G7447125227, G7503396464, G7646326732, G7987655622, G8050896463, G8164184896, G8377080268, G8702800630, Uncovering novel risk factors and molecular markers to improve the prevention and treatment of cancer, G8978728421, G9000040826

OpenAlex ID: W4403222249