| Title: | Serum metabolites related to ultra-processed food intake in association with mortality: A prospective cohort study in the UK biobank |
| Journal: | Cancer Epidemiology |
| Published: | 23 May 2026 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42176453/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canep.2026.103114 |
Publication 19927
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Ultra-processed food (UPF) intake is linked to an increased risk of death, but underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. We examined associations of a previously derived UPF metabolomic signature with all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths, and whether the signature potentially mediates these associations.</p>
METHODS: We used baseline data from 63,401 participants in the UK biobank cohort and examined the association of a metabolomic signature of UPF intake with mortality over a maximum of 15 years of follow-up, accruing 2936, 1553, and 420 all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality events. The metabolomic signature was computed as a weighted sum of previously identified 17 UPF-related serum metabolites. Associations of the metabolomic signature with mortality outcomes were examined using confounder-adjusted flexible parametric survival models. The proportion of the association of UPF with mortality mediated by the metabolomic signature was also computed.</p>
RESULTS: A standard deviation increase in the metabolomic signature was associated with 1.17 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-1.21), 1.14 (1.08-1.20), and 1.15 (1.05-1.27)-times increased risk of all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality, respectively. Comparing the highest vs. lowest quartiles, HR (95% CI) for all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality were 1.46 (1.31-1.63), 1.40 (1.2-1.62), and 1.40 (1.05-1.85) respectively. The signature mediated 30%, 28%, and 21% of the association between UPF intake all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality respectively. Component analyses showed that docosahexaenoic acid was robustly inversely associated with all-cause and CVD mortality, but glycoprotein acetyl was positively associated with all-cause and cancer mortality. Valine was inversely associated with all-cause mortality.</p>
CONCLUSION: The metabolomic signature of UPF is a key prognostic marker for mortality and potentially mediates UPF-mortality associations through systemic inflammatory pathways.</p>
2 Authors
- Anthony Kityo
- Sang-Ah Lee
1 Application
| Application ID | Title |
|---|---|
| 102492 | Serum Metabolomic Profiles of Ultra-Processed Food Intake, and Associations with Cancer Incidence and Mortality in the UK Biobank |
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