A large study found no link between colorectal cancer and ultra-processed food, raising questions about what role these foods play, if any, in rising rates of the cancer among younger people.

The research, from scientists at the National Cancer Institute, followed more than 460,000 older adults over a 23-year period.

The findings underscore that not all ultra-processed food — a broad category that includes commercially produced bread, flavored yogurt, candy and potato chips — is necessarily unhealthy. Rather, the study results differed for different types of processed food.

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