More young people are getting colon cancer—and it’s down to processed food

Colon cancer is no longer a disease of the old—young people are also getting the disease, and the rise in cases is being driven by a diet of processed foods and drinks.

Almost every country around the world is seeing a rise in colon (colorectal) cancer, but the steepest increase is in North America and Europe, say researchers at the National Medical Research Center for Radiology in Russia.

Of the 50 countries reviewed, 27 reported an increase in the cancers from 2013 to 2017 among the under-50s.  A diet of processed foods is the major culprit, but so too are increasing levels of obesity, although these are also the result of consuming sugary foods and drinks.

Early warning signs of the cancer include long-lasting changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, and frequent abdominal discomfort.

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