WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A new long-term study is raising serious concerns about the health impacts of ultra-processed foods, the packaged snacks, sodas, frozen meals, and ready-to-eat products that make up a large part of the average American diet.
Researchers followed nearly 30,000 women over more than two decades and found that those who ate the most ultra-processed foods were significantly more likely to develop precancerous colon polyps before age 50. These polyps, called adenomas, are often the first step toward colon cancer.
Local colorectal surgeon Dr. Juliet Ray, with HCA JFK Florida, says the concern goes beyond calories and packaging; it’s about how drastically these foods differ from real, natural ingredients…