Grant: Team Grant: Bringing Biology to Cancer Prevention - Ultra-Processed Foods

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have been altered from whole foods through added ingredients to make foods shelf-stable, improve the taste, appearance or flavour. UPFs tend to be high in fat, salt and sugar and make up about half of what Canadians eat. A number of studies suggest that people who eat more UPFs have a higher risk of cancer, including colorectal cancer, but it is unclear whether the risks are due to added ingredients (additives), nutrients (high fat, salt and sugar) or both. The reasons why UPFs increase colorectal cancer are not well understood but may be due to changes in the type and number of bacteria in the gut that change biological pathways leading to cancer. In this study we will use stool and blood samples from a feeding study of UPFs with or without additives and with or with high fat, salt and sugar. The gut microbiome and markers of metabolism before and at the end of the feeding study will be measured. Stool will be transferred to mouse models to measure impacts on colorectal cancer development. A model of the gut will be used to identify markers of metabolism that result from different amounts and types of additives found in UPFs. We will then test whether these markers of metabolism are present in the feeding trial and in a large study of participants with detailed diet information and measures of the gut microbiome. This study spans cells to society to provide new evidence on the negative health impacts of UPFs.