The link between junk food and cancer was back in the spotlight today following the death of Super Size Me documentarian Morgan Spurlock, who died from the disease.
His family said Spurlock, 53, succumbed to “complications” of cancer, but did not reveal what type he had or how long he had been battling it.
There is no indication that his condition was related to the 2004 film, in which he consumed nothing but McDonald’s meals for a month as a health experiment, even though he suffered a series of health problems immediately afterwards.
Piles of research over the past few decades have shown that eating a lot of processed foods is linked to at least 34 different types of cancer, even in people who are not obese.
Super Size Me was critically acclaimed and grossed $22 million at the global box office.
Following the film’s release, McDonald’s discontinued its “oversized” option.
Although the link between ultra-processed foods – including fast food, soft drinks, chips, ice cream, sugary cereals and deli meats, and cancer is well established, the exact mechanism is still being understood.
One of the ways UPF can cause cancer is due to its composition. These foods typically contain high levels of saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium and are low in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
If we eat too many ultra-processed foods, we may not eat enough foods in our diet that we know boost the immune system and help prevent cancer, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Secondly, regular consumption of these foods can cause weight gain. Being above a healthy weight increases the risk of developing 13 different cancers, including cancers of the intestine, kidney, pancreas, esophagus, endometrium, liver and breast (after menopause).
A study conducted earlier this year also discovered a possible missing link between how eating junk food increases cancer risk.
Research in Singapore found that a compound released when the body breaks down sugary and fatty foods deactivates a cancer-fighting gene.
It could explain, at least in part, why cancers among young, apparently healthy Americans are becoming so common, particularly colon tumors.
