A new study shows junk food has been linked to colorectal cancer.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh found a link between higher risk of the caner and eating "high energy snack foods", such as chips, cakes, desserts and sugary drinks. 

Published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, the study is based on 2,0262 colorectal cancer patients and 2,776 controls from Scotland. Every patient was between the ages 16 and 79, according to the Huffington Post. 

The patients all visited a surgical unit between 1991 and 2006, and completed questionnaires about their lifestyle habits including what kinds of foods they eat and how often they eat them. 

"The finding of a positive association between the intake of 'high-energy snack foods' and CRC (colorectal cancer) is novel and remains significant after physical activity or BMI stratification," the researchers wrote in the study. 

The study said the results are linked to past studies on eating habits and colorectal cancer risk. The latest study showed that a diet with a large amount of produce is linked with lower cancer risk. Last year, the American Journal of Medicine found frequent fish-eaters had a 12 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer compared with infrequent fish eaters. 

Fruit and vegetables juices are also linked to a higher colorectal cancer risk. According to the study it is "because fruit and vegetables juices have different properties compared with the whole fruit or vegetables they come from, at the majority of them contain sugars, preservatives and other additives."

Smoking and having a family history of cancer are also factors for colorectal cancer.