Inge Huybrechts

International Agency for Research on Cancer · Section of Nutrition and Metabolism

Background Food processing has been hypothesised to play a role in cancer development; however, data from large-scale epidemiological studies are scarce. This study investigated the association between dietary intake according to amount of food processing and risk of cancer at 25 anatomical sites using data from the European Prospective Investigati...

Background: Regulating meal timing may have efficacy for improving metabolic health for preventing or managing chronic disease. However, the reliability of measuring meal timing with commonly used dietary assessment tools needs characterization prior to investigating meal timing and health outcomes in epidemiologic studies. Objective: To evaluat...

Background Amino acid metabolism is dysregulated in colorectal cancer patients; however, it is not clear whether pre-diagnostic levels of amino acids are associated with subsequent risk of colorectal cancer. We investigated circulating levels of amino acids in relation to colorectal cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer...

Background Diet may impact important risk factors for endometrial cancer such as obesity and inflammation. However, evidence on the role of specific dietary factors is limited. We investigated associations between dietary fatty acids and endometrial cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Methods Thi...

Background: Iron is an essential micronutrient with differing intake patterns and metabolism between men and women. Epidemiologic evidence on the association of dietary iron and its heme and non-heme components with colorectal cancer (CRC) development is inconclusive. Methods: We examined baseline dietary questionnaire-assessed intakes of total,...

Background: Global dietary patterns are increasingly dominated by relatively cheap, highly palatable, and ready-to-eat ultra-processed foods (UPFs). However, prospective evidence is limited on cancer development and mortality in relation to UPF consumption. This study examines associations between UPF consumption and risk of cancer and associated...

Background and aim: This study evaluates the associations between dietary intakes and circulating blood levels of methionine, choline or betaine and breast cancer risk, which remains currently unclear. Methods: Systematic searches for observational epidemiological studies were performed of the MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases throug...

OBJECTIVE The deleterious effects of trans fatty acids (TFAs) on cardiovascular health are well established; however, their impact on type 2 diabetes remains poorly understood. In particular, little is known about the impact of specific TFA types on type 2 diabetes etiology. We aimed to explore the associations between different types of TFAs (tota...

Background Nitrates and nitrites are used as food additives in processed meats. They are also commonly ingested from water and several foods. Several short‐term clinical studies suggested beneficial effects of dietary nitrates on blood pressure, while deleterious effects on oxidative damage have been suggested in some experimental studies. However,...

Background Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between the degree of food processing in our diet and the risk of various chronic diseases. Much of this evidence is based on the international Nova classification system, which classifies food into four groups based on the type of processing: (1) Unprocessed and minimally processe...

As colorectal cancer (CRC) is largely due to modifiable lifestyle habits, the awareness on its risk factors is highly important. Dietary fatty acids have been linked to CRC risk. We explored the association between dietary trans fatty acids (TFAs) intake and CRC risk. We analyzed 865 CRC cases (434 in colon and 404 in rectum) and 3206 controls of t...

Objective To investigate the associations between portion sizes (PS) from different food groups and energy, nutrient intakes in European adolescents. Methods A sample of 1631 adolescents (54.2 % girls) were included from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Cross-Sectional (HELENA) study. Mean food PS was calculated by divid...

The evolving trends in colorectal cancer (CRC) as one of the most common malignancies worldwide, have likely been influenced by the implementation of screening programs and changes in lifestyle habits. Changing lifestyle, including the shift in diet composition with higher fat, sugar, and animal-source foods intake, led to an increasing burden of C...

Background Dietary patterns worldwide are increasingly displaced by many cheap, highly palatable, and ready-to-eat ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Higher UPF consumption has been linked to increased risk for obesity and cardiometabolic diseases, but prospective evidence is limited on cancer outcomes. This study aimed to examine the association betwee...

Background Artificial sweeteners are widely used today by the food industry as sugar alternatives. Potential adverse effects of these food additives on cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been suggested in experimental studies, but data from studies involving humans remain very limited. Previous cohorts have focused on artificially sweetened beverage...

Background Food additive emulsifiers are found in thousands of industrial foods and may exert deleterious effects on gut microbiota and carcinogenesis according to experimental studies. However, their associations with cancer risk has not been investigated yet. This study aimed to investigate these associations in a large population-based prospecti...

Background Nutrition is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) that can be leveraged by public health prevention strategies. In addition to dietary guidelines, front-of-pack nutrition labels (FoPNL) can help consumers make healthier food choices. Nutri-Score, a scientifically validated 5-color FopNL based on the nutrient p...

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases worldwide, with an increasing prevalence and a considerable global health burden. Substantial evidence has linked consumption of trans fatty acids (TFAs) to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the effects of T2D remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the ass...

Background & aims: Industrial foods have been associated with increased risks of several chronic conditions. We investigated the relation between degree of food processing, and risks of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Methods: Analyses included 41...

Objectives To study the associations between artificial sweeteners from all dietary sources (beverages, but also table top sweeteners, dairy products, etc), overall and by molecule (aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose), and risk of cardiovascular diseases (overall, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease). Design Population...

Background: The association between protein intake and prostate cancer risk remains unclear. Aims: To prospectively investigate the associations of dietary intakes of total protein, protein from different dietary sources, and amino acids with prostate cancer risk and mortality. Methods: In 131,425 men from the European Prospective Investigatio...

The Oxford WebQ is an online 24 h dietary assessment tool used by several large prospective studies. This study describes the creation of the new individual fatty acid (FA) dataset for the Oxford WebQ and reports intakes and sources of dietary individual FAs in the UK Biobank. Participants who completed ≥1 (maximum of five) 24 h dietary assessments...

Purpose There is existing evidence on the potential role of chronic inflammation in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer (PC) and on how risk may be modulated by dietary factors. Pro-inflammatory diets are suggested to be associated with increased risk of PC but, so far, evidence remains not conclusive. We examined the association between the diet...

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the consumption of foods and drinks from different food processing categories using the NOVA classification and CRC risk among Moroccan adults. Methods 1453 cases and 1453 matched controls aged at least 18 years and recruited from the 5 greater Moroccan regions were intervi...

Background: Physical activity has been associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer in studies mainly conducted in high-income countries, while sedentary behavior has been suggested to increase CRC risk. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of physical activity and sedentary behavior on CRC risk in the Moroccan population. Methods...

Endogenous and exogenous metabolite concentrations may be susceptible to variation over time. This variability can lead to misclassification of exposure levels and in turn to biased results. To assess the reproducibility of metabolites, the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) is computed. A literature search in three databases from 2000 until...

Introduction Circulating levels of acylcarnitines (ACs) have been associated with risk of various diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes. Diet and lifestyle factors have been shown to influence AC concentrations but a better understanding of their biological, lifestyle and metabolic determinants is needed. Methods Circulating ACs were measure...

Purpose Chronic inflammation is thought to initiate or promote differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and previous studies have shown that diet can modulate this inflammatory process. We aimed to evaluate the association of several dietary scores reflecting the inflammatory potential of the diet with DTC risk. Methods Within the EPIC cohort, 450,063...

A good assessment of dietary methyl-group donor intake (folate, choline, betaine, methionine) is needed to investigate the effect of methyl-group donor intake on children’s health. The aim is to develop and validate a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to estimate the daily intake of methyl-group donors in preschoolers. For the relative validity an...

Background and Aims This study aims to examine associations of food portion sizes (PS) with markers of insulin resistance (IR) and clustered of metabolic risk score in European adolescents. Methods 495 adolescents (53.5% females) from the HELENA study were included. The association between PS from food groups and HOMA-IR index, VO2 max, and metabo...

One of the current main public health problems is the prevalence of obesity in children. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as poor dietary habits, high sedentary screen time (SST), and low levels of physical activity (PA) have a strong tendency to track from childhood into adulthood. The aim of this manuscript is to assess the association between...

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for endometrial cancer but whether metabolic dysfunction is associated with endometrial cancer independent of body size is not known. Methods: The association of metabolically-defined body size phenotypes with endometrial cancer risk was investigated in a nested case-control study (817 cases/ 817 controls) wi...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS We aimed to investigate the association between protein intake and risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. METHODS 413 593 participants from eight European countries were included. Dietary data were collected at baseline from validated food frequency question...

Background: The family environment influences food consumption and behaviours, which impact adolescent's eating habits, diet and health. Young individuals who frequently eat family meals are less likely to develop risk- and behaviour-related outcomes as obesity. Aim: To assess the relationship between the family meal environment and food and mac...

Previous studies have suggested that components of one‐carbon metabolism, particularly circulating vitamin B6, have an etiological role in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Vitamin B6 is a cofactor in the transsulfuration pathway. We sought to holistically investigate the role of the transsulfuration pathway in RCC risk. We conducted a nested case‐contro...

Background Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) exhibit significantly increased chronic diseases and premature death. Abnormalities in DNA methylation are associated with development of chronic diseases and reduced life expectancy. We investigated the hypothesis that anti-cancer treatments are associated with long-term DNA methylation changes that coul...

Background: It is unclear which psychological factors (stressors, emotional correlates, and psychophysiological markers) induce cancer risk. This currently limits the potential for prevention strategies. Purpose: The aim of this review is to bring forth evidence of stress as a determinant of cancer risk from a public health perspective, written...

The present study estimated diet-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and land use (LU) in a sample of adults, examined main dietary contributors of GHGE, and evaluated socio demographic, lifestyle, and wellbeing factors as potential determinants of high environmental impact. A cross-sectional design based on data collected from the European Pro...

Background The food industry uses artificial sweeteners in a wide range of foods and beverages as alternatives to added sugars, for which deleterious effects on several chronic diseases are now well established. The safety of these food additives is debated, with conflicting findings regarding their role in the aetiology of various diseases. In par...

Background Nitrates and nitrites occur naturally in water and soil. They are also used as food additives (preservatives) in processed meats. They could play a role in the carcinogenicity of processed meat. The objective was to investigate the relationship between nitrate and nitrite intakes (natural food, water and food additive sources) and cancer...

Dietary diversity is an established public health principle, and its measurement is essential for studies of diet quality and food security. However, conventional between food group scores fail to capture the nutritional variability and ecosystem services delivered by dietary richness and dissimilarity within food groups, or the relative distributi...

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have become increasingly dominant globally, contributing to as much as 60% of total daily energy intake in some settings. Epidemiological evidence suggests this worldwide shift in food processing may partly be responsible for the global obesity epidemic and chronic disease burden. However, prospective studies examining...

Background Dioxins and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that have demonstrated endocrine disrupting properties. Several of these chemicals are carcinogenic and positive associations have been suggested with breast cancer risk. In general population, diet represents the main source of exposure. Methods Associations betwe...

This study aimed to investigate the association between consumption of ultra-processed foods, whole foods and breast cancer risk in black women from Soweto, South Africa. A population-based case (n 396)-control (n 396) study matched on age and residence, using data from the South African Breast Cancer study. Dietary intake was assessed using a vali...

The effects of fat intake from different dietary sources on bladder cancer (BC) risk is still unidentified. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the association between fat intakes and BC risk by merging world data on this topic. Data from 11 cohort studies in the BLadder cancer Epidemiology and Nutritional Determinants (BLEND) study,...

Introduction et but de l’étude Les nitrates et les nitrites sont présents à l’état naturel dans l’eau et le sol et sont couramment ingérés à partir de l’eau potable et de sources alimentaires. Ils sont également utilisés comme additifs alimentaires dans les charcuteries pour augmenter la durée de conservation et éviter la croissance bactérienne. Ce...

Introduction et but de l’étude Les acides gras trans (AGT) représentent une catégorie de lipides naturellement présents dans les aliments (produits dans l’estomac des ruminants) ou générés par des procédés industriels d’hydrogénation partielle des huiles végétales. Leur rôle en tant que facteurs de risque cardiovasculaire a été largement démontré....

Fruit and vegetables (FV) are part of a healthy diet and should be frequently consumed already at a young age. However, intake of FV is difficult to assess in children and adolescents due to various misreporting aspects. Thus, measurement of dietary biomarkers may be a promising alternative to assess FV intake more objectively at young age. To date...

Background Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) cause more than 70% of deaths worldwide and share modifiable risk factors including obesity and metabolic abnormalities. Over the past 15 years, many changes in lifestyle, dietary patterns, physical activity, and socioeconomic status have been observed in the Afghan population. This study aims to investig...

Ultra-processed food intake has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in Western populations. No data are available in the Latin American population although the consumption of ultra-processed foods is increasing rapidly in this region. We evaluated the association of ultra-processed food intake to breast cancer risk in a case–control s...

To summarize the microbiome's role in metabolic disorders (insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD], and metabolic syndrome), systematic reviews on observational or interventional studies (prebiotics/probiotics/synbiotics/transplant) were searched in MEDLINE...

Objective: The protective effect of the Mediterranean diet (MD) is known for several diseases, but the evidence in low- and middle-income countries was still missing. This article assesses the impact of MD and its components on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) among Moroccan adults. Methods: in population-based cross-sectional study, A...

Background Metabolomics is a promising molecular tool for identifying novel etiological pathways leading to cancer. In an earlier prospective study among pre- and postmenopausal women not using exogenous hormones, we observed a higher risk of breast cancer associated with higher blood concentrations of one metabolite (acetylcarnitine) and a lower r...

Objective To determine the level of adherence, and to assess the association between higher adherence to the South African Food Based Dietary Guidelines (SAFBDGs) and breast cancer risk. Design Population-based, case-control study (the South African Breast Cancer study), matched on age and demographic settings. Validated questionnaires were used t...

Background There is controversy about associations between total dietary fatty acids, their classes (saturated fatty acids [SFAs], monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids), and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Specifically, the relevance of food sources of SFAs to CHD associations is uncertain. Methods and Results We cond...

A total of 396 breast cancer cases and 396 population-based controls from the South African Breast Cancer study (SABC) matched on age and demographic settings was included. Validated questionnaires were used to collect dietary and epidemiological data. Dietary patterns were derived using principal component analysis with a covariance matrix from 33...

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs with fecal sample collection may provide a platform for population-based gut microbiome-disease research. We investigated sample collection and storage methods impact on the accuracy and stability of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA genes and bacterial quantity across seven different collectio...

Background Unhealthy diets, the rise of non-communicable diseases, and the declining health of the planet are highly intertwined, where food production and consumption are major drivers of increases in greenhouse gas emissions, substantial land use, and adverse health such as cancer and mortality. To assess the potential co-benefits from shifting t...

Current evidence suggests that 30–50% of cancers are attributable to established lifestyle risk factors. Cancer-screening has been identified as an opportunity for delivering advice on lifestyle behaviour change for cancer prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of promoting advice on the latest evidence-based lifest...

Nitrates and nitrites occur naturally in water and soil and are commonly ingested from water and dietary sources. They are also frequently used as food additives mainly in processed meats. Experimental data consistently suggest their involvement in carcinogenesis but human data is still limited. The aim was to investigate the relationship between n...

Background Worldwide consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is continued to rise. Growing evidence has linked higher consumption with elevated risks of obesity and non-communicable diseases in adults. However, the influence of UPFs on long-term adiposity trajectories have not been evaluated in children. Methods Prospective birth cohort data w...

Background: Food biodiversity, encompassing the variety of plants, animals, and other organisms consumed as food and drink, has intrinsic potential to underpin diverse, nutritious diets and improve Earth system resilience. Dietary species richness (DSR), which is recommended as a crosscutting measure of food biodiversity, has been positively associ...

Background: The association between high fructose consumption and elevated blood pressure continues to be controversial, especially in adolescence. The aim of this study was to assess the association between fructose consumption and elevated blood pressure in an European adolescent population. Methods: A total of 1733 adolescents (mean ± SD age:...

Food additives (e.g. artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, dyes, etc.) are ingested by billions of individuals daily. Some concerning results, mainly derived from animal and/or cell-based experimental studies, have recently emerged suggesting potential detrimental effects of several widely consumed additives. Profiles of additive exposure as well as...

Dietary trans fatty acids (TFAs) are either natural (ruminant sources) or industrially generated by partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. Increasing evidence demonstrated their role as cardiovascular risk factors. Their involvement in cancer etiology is suspected, but epidemiological evidence is limited so far. We aimed to investigate the associ...

Background and aims: This study aimed to expand the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) nutrient database (ENDB) by adding amino acid (AA) values, using the U.S. nutrient database (USNDB). Additionally, we aimed to evaluate these new protein and AA intake estimates from the EPIC dietary questionnaires (DQ) and 24-h d...

Background Several biological pathways implicated in cancer risk rely on vitamin B6, which can be measured in its active form pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (PLP). Functional markers of B6 enzymatic activity have been proposed, including the homocysteine:cysteine ratio (Hcy:Cys, a marker of transsulfuration), 3-hydroxykynurenine ratio (HKr, a marker of try...

Background Worldwide consumption of ultra-processed foods is continued to rise. Growing evidence has linked ultra-processed food consumption with elevated risks of obesity, non-communicable diseases, and mortality in adults. Associations between ultra-processed food consumption and long-term adiposity trajectories have never been investigated in ch...

Amongst adults with chronic pain, overweight and obesity are highly prevalent. The association between chronic pain and overweight is driven by several explanations, including increased biomechanical load, changes in the gut microbiome, and low-grade (neuro)inflammation. Moreover, the link between overweight, obesity and chronic pain can best be co...

Evidence on the effects of meat consumption from different sources on the risk of bladder cancer (BC) is limited and controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the associations between meat consumption and BC risk using a pooled data approach. Individual data from 11 prospective cohorts comprising 2848 BC cases and 515,697 non-cases wit...

Aims/hypothesis The gut microbiome is hypothesised to be related to insulin resistance and other metabolic variables. However, data from population-based studies are limited. We investigated associations between serologic measures of metabolic health and the gut microbiome in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966) and the TwinsUK cohort....