Why are young people getting colon cancer & are emulsifiers to blame?
Over the last few years, the number of young adults diagnosed with bowel cancer has been on the rise. According to Cancer Research UK, the number of UK adults aged 25 to 49 being diagnosed with bowel cancer has increased by 22% between the early 1990s and 2018. While the American Cancer Society expects that colon cancer will be the leading cause of cancer-related death for those under 50 by 2030.
What is causing the rise in colon cancer?
Colon cancer – also known as bowel or colorectal cancer – is where people develop cancer or a tumour in their large intestine or large bowel. It's one of the more common types of cancer. But there's been a real demographic shift in the disease.
‘While rates of bowel cancer are declining in older age groups, they are steadily rising in younger people,’ says Dr Federica Amati, Head Nutritionist at Zoe, the science and nutrition company, and author of Every Body Should Know This and Recipes for a Better Menopause.
So what's behind this rise in colon cancer in young people? Well, some researchers believe that the increase in cancer is linked to the increased rate of obesity (we know people who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop colon cancer). While others are looking into the role of our diet.
‘We don’t know precisely why this is, but diet likely plays a large role. Similarly, overweight and obesity are risk factors for bowel cancer, so their rise in prevalence, which is also tied to diet, may be important,’ says Dr Amati.
‘Other factors might also be involved in the increase in risk, like reduced levels of exercise or even novel chemicals in the environment from pollution and plastics for example.’
What's the link between emulsifiers and cancer?
Emulsifiers are additives in thousands of food products – including peanut butter, yoghurts, protein shakes, biscuits, pastries and chocolate.
‘Emulsifiers really are everywhere these days – you’ll find them in more than half of all ultra-processed foods. Some products are more likely to contain them than others, though,’ says Dr Amati.
‘For instance, they’re added to 95% of pastries, buns and cakes, ice creams and yoghurts, and almost 80% of confectionery. In the UK, if manufacturers use them in a product, they need to write ‘emulsifier’ next to the chemical name on the label, so they’re fairly easy to spot.’
Emulsifiers enhance foods’ texture, appearance, and shelf life. But with early research linking emulsifiers to disruption in the gut, the question is; are they safe?
‘Before a food ingredient is approved, scientists need to show that it doesn’t cause cancer,’ explains Dr Amati. ‘As it stands, there’s no direct evidence from clinical trials that emulsifiers are linked to an increased risk of cancer.
‘However, a recent large-scale study did find a link between certain emulsifiers – called carrageenans and mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids – and an increased risk of overall cancer, breast and prostate cancer.
‘Also, animal studies show that emulsifiers impact the gut microbiome, which could increase bowel cancer risk. However, scientists need to carry out more in-depth studies to confirm this link.’
So, should we avoid all emulsifiers?
Although the connection between emulsifiers and cancer is not definitive, it is wise to limit your intake, advises Dr Amati: ‘Limiting your intake of emulsifiers is sensible because they’re likely to be disruptive to our gut biome when consumed regularly and in lots of our foods.’
But, of course, in the real world, avoiding emulsifiers is nearly impossible. ‘It’s not practical (or possible) to avoid all of them all of the time, so don’t lose sleep over it. The best thing to do is reduce your overall intake of ultra-processed foods because that’s where the vast majority of emulsifiers are hiding.’
Diets high in ultra-processed foods have been linked with increased risk of heart disease, weight gain and cancer. ‘We already know that consuming high levels of ultra-processed foods is linked to poorer health outcomes, including increased bowel cancer risk,’ says Dr Amati.
‘Whether the link between emulsifiers and cancer exists or not, your health will benefit from reducing your intake of these foods. Instead, focus on consuming a wide range of whole foods, like fruit, whole grains, veg, seeds and nuts.
‘It’s also important to keep things in perspective,’ she adds. ‘For instance, if your oat milk contains emulsifiers but you only have a splash in your coffee a couple of times per day, it’s not likely to be doing you too much harm. For good health, it’s your overall dietary pattern that’s most important. If your diet is rich in plants, the occasional emulsifier is unlikely to impact your overall health.’
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