Avoid high-calorie foods

Limit consumption of 'fast foods' and other processed foods high in fat, starches or sugars

Limiting these foods helps control calorie intake and maintain a healthy weight.

Eating too many high-calorie foods, particularly processed foods that are high in fat, starches or sugar, can cause us to be overweight or obese. Eating a 'Western type' diet (a diet that contains high amounts of sugars, meat and fat) also increases the risk of becoming overweight or obese, which in turn is a cause of many common cancers.

To find out which ones, visit our Risk Factors page.

What are high-calorie foods?

High-calorie foods (also known as calorie-dense or energy-dense foods) include things like:

Chocolate and sweets
Crisps
Biscuits
Cake
Ice cream
Fast food, like burgers, fried chicken or fries
Pastries

Even small portions of these foods contain lots of calories and they are often low in the vital nutrients your body needs.

Tips for cutting down on high-calorie foods and drinks

Reshaping your plate to include more wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and pulses will keep you feeling fuller for longer on fewer calories, which can help you to maintain a healthy weight, reducing your cancer risk.

Watch out for processed foods

In general, the healthiest foods are those that haven’t been processed. This means that they haven’t had extra sugar or fat added to them and the fibre is more likely to still be intact. Instead of eating processed foods, try to base your meals on vegetables, wholegrains, pulses and fruit.

Take a look at our tips to eat more wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and beans

Read food labels

As a guide, high-calorie foods contain more than about 225 calories (kcal) per 100g. These foods should be eaten sparingly. Some high-calorie foods are valuable sources of nutrients so can be eaten in small amounts. These include oily fish, nuts, seeds, cheese and avocados.