A dangerous link has been revealed between eating chips and cancer.

A new study suggests that eating just one bag of chips a day can increase your risk of throat and mouth cancer by 25%. Consuming just 350g of ultra-processed foods such as pizza and burgers could increase your risk of cancer, researchers warn.

A study has found that eating a “family-sized” bag of chips every day can increase the risk of developing throat and oral cancer by 25 percent, writes the Daily Mail. Researchers found that cancer risk increased sharply when people ate just 350g of ultra-processed food a day for a decade – the equivalent of a large bag of chips.

This amount was associated with a 20 percent increased risk of head and neck cancer and a 25 percent increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that grows in the lining of the esophagus, the Daily Mail noted.

Previous research has suggested that the link between cancer risk and unhealthy foods may be explained by the fact that these high-calorie foods can cause harmful weight gain.

However, the latest study argues for an alternative mechanism, since excess weight was a factor in only a small proportion of cancer cases.

Instead, researchers from the University of Bristol in the UK say the disease may be the result of detrimental changes in gut flora, as well as potential hormonal effects.

Dr. David Katz, a preventative and lifestyle medicine specialist who was not involved in the study, comments to CNN: “If UPFs (ultra-processed foods) contribute to cancer risk, they do so in a small way by promoting obesity, and in a much larger way by contributing to obesity.” “Through other mechanisms. What could it be? Diet-induced inflammation; microbiome disruption; adverse epigenetic effects; and many other possibilities come to mind.”

Highly processed foods such as sodas, chips, nuggets, candies and cakes contain many ingredients, most of which are rarely used in the kitchen, explains the Daily Mail. These foods also contain additives such as artificial colors and preservatives, which help keep the food fresher longer. Also, these types of foods are often high in calories, sugar, salt and fat, which increases the likelihood of weight gain if consumed regularly.

The new study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, analyzed diet and lifestyle data from 450,111 adults participating in a larger European study.

It is one of the largest studies in Europe, called the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Between 1992 and 1999, participants from 23 centers in 11 European countries took part.

For the new paper, the researchers looked at cancer rates in participants who ate a lot of processed food over 14 years and compared the results to those who ate little.

Interestingly, a higher waist-to-hip ratio—an indicator of obesity—explained only five percent of the 23 percent increase in head and neck cancer risk.

Meanwhile, increases in body mass index (BMI) over the study period explained 13 percent additional risk of esophageal cancer, while waist-to-hip ratio explained 15 percent of the disease’s risk.

However, the findings do not indicate a direct cause – perhaps the increased risk of cancer was caused by other factors, the Daily Mail notes. Those who eat large amounts of unhealthy food are also more likely to smoke and drink alcohol – known risk factors for throat and oral cancer.

Speaking about the findings, study leader Fernanda Morales Burstein tells DailyMail.com: “Replacing any amount of ultra-processed foods in your diet with less processed foods may reduce your risk of developing upper gastrointestinal cancer.”