Doctor Heleen Kauzuu from the Brandberg Medical Centre warned that as global demand for food continues to rise, humans are increasingly being exposed to serious health risks linked to artificially manufactured and processed foods.

She made these remarks during the commemoration of World Cancer Day held at Uis, where health practitioners and community members gathered to raise awareness about cancer prevention and early detection.

Kauzuu says the growing consumption of artificially processed food places people at a high risk of developing cancer, as such products often contain harmful additives, preservatives, and chemical compounds that negatively affect the human body over time.

According to Dr Kauzuu, the pressure to feed a rapidly growing global population has led to mass food production methods that prioritise quantity and shelf life over nutritional value and safety.

She cautioned that prolonged exposure to chemically altered food could contribute to cancer cases worldwide.

Dr Kauzuu urged communities to adopt healthier eating habits by prioritising natural, fresh, and minimally processed food where possible.

"The pies and the fried chickens and all of that – the spices also contribute to these things. It's not only about one thing when it comes to cancer. You don't need to have an expensive diet. You just need to eat healthy food – food that you can say, 'This is an apple.' This is an orange. This is a vegetable," because most of the fruits nowadays are highly processed, and this is the reason that also contributes to cancer because before, people always used to say people used to live for many, many years, and they never had cancer, but now they have cancer."

She called on policymakers and food producers to strengthen regulations governing food processing and labelling to protect public health.