Killed by convenience? Eating ready meals may raise men’s risk of prostate disease

A study has found that eating fast food may increase men’s risk of developing prostate disease.

Research links ultra-processed foods to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or prostate enlargement, which affects three million men in the UK.

Ultra-processed foods often contain high amounts of sugar, fat and salt and include ready meals, soft drinks and packaged breads and buns.

They have previously been linked to a higher risk of heart disease and cancer.

The Mail on Sunday is campaigning to end needless prostate cancer deaths and launch a national screening programme.

Researchers compared the diets of 77,951 British men over the age of 45 over a 10-year period. Of these, 7,387 were diagnosed with BPH.

The results showed that every 10 percent increase in the amount of ultraprocessed foods they ate was associated with a 4 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with BPH.

Conversely, every 10 percent increase in unprocessed plant foods was associated with a 9 percent reduction in risk.

Researchers from Peking University Shenzhen Hospital and other centers in China said: ‘This is the first study to identify ultra-processed foods as a risk factor for BPH. Overall evidence suggests that they may have adverse effects on prostate health.

‘A higher percentage of total food weight from all ultra-processed foods was associated with an increased risk of BPH, while a higher percentage from plant-based foods was associated with a reduced risk.’

Researchers say there are a number of possibilities as to why ultra-processed foods increase the risk of BPH.

One theory is that they may trigger chronic inflammation and insulin resistance, causing the prostate to enlarge.

Another theory is that metabolic dysregulation (a breakdown in the way the body manages energy intake) may result from this.

Publishing their findings in Nutrition Journal, the researchers said: ‘The foods are rich in fat, sugar and sodium but deficient in fibre, vitamins and bioactive compounds, thus promoting metabolic disorders.’

Professor Raj Persad, consultant urological surgeon and andrologist at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, said: ‘This is very good research showing the association between ultra-processed foods and a higher chance of developing BPH.’

He added: ‘BPH is much more common than prostate cancer in men and can cause serious problems requiring medication or surgery, which can be expensive and have side effects.

‘These findings suggest that avoiding ultra-processed foods could be a very useful and inexpensive strategy for patients and the NHS.

‘This research establishes a new and important association but is not proof of cause. More research is now needed for this.

‘But given the widespread consensus among scientists that overly processed foods can be harmful to health, it would be wise for men to stick to a healthy diet.’