The 6 lifestyle factors driving the cancer epidemic in the young revealed – are you at risk?

SIX lifestyle factors are driving a growing cancer epidemic in young people, a new report warns.

While some cases are decreasing in over-65s, the number of people aged 50 and under being diagnosed with the condition is on the rise.

Experts blame unhealthy diets, obesity, chemicals in the environment, antibiotics, alcohol and a lack of exercise.

According to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), cancer in the under-50s has been on the rise since the 1990s.

This includes bowel, cervical, prostate, breast and womb cancer.

Now, an estimated 18,000 people under 50 are diagnosed with early-onset bowel cancer in the United States every year.

And the AACR predicts that across all age groups, two million new cancer cases with be diagnosed in the US in 2024.

Of particular concern is the rise in early-onset bowel cancer, with rates expected to double by 2030 among 29- to 35-year-olds.

While scientists aren’t sure of the exact reason for this increase, they say 40 per cent of cancers are associated with modifiable risk factors – or things you can change.

Six factors are under specific investigation when it comes to young people.

1. Unhealthy diet

Cancer is thought to be caused by a combination of your genes and environment.

But according to the report, a major driver of the disease in young people is what we eat.

Experts warned that diets full of red meat and highly-processed foods, and a lack of fresh fruits and vegetables, were responsible for more than 4.2 per cent of all cancers.

They recommended limiting red meat intake to no more than three times per week, and not eating processed meats like bacon, salami and hot dogs at all.

“These foods can increase the risk of bowel and potentially other cancers, including prostate and pancreatic cancer,” the authors said.

They also urged people to consider how many sugary drinks they consumed, highlighting that soda, fruit and sports drinks, as well as coffee and tea with added sugars, have been associated with increasing the risk of liver and bowel cancer, diabetes and kidney disease.

Overall, research shows children and young adults to have less nutritious diets than older people.

Forty five per cent of young adults reported consuming fast food every day between 2013 and 2017, compared to 37 per cent of adults over 40.

“Eating a healthy diet can help reduce the risk of many chronic conditions, including cancer,” the scientists wrote.

“Unfortunately, compared to other age groups, the diet quality of adolescents is poor, with elevated consumption of foods that are high in fat and refined carbohydrates and low in fibre, and inadequate consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

“The poor uptake of healthy foods among this population can be due to numerous factors, including food insecurity, family dietary habits, convenience, and lack of affordable access to healthy foods.

“The poor dietary patterns can carry on into adulthood and increase the risk of many obesity-associated cancers.

“Reducing or eliminating consumption of highly processed foods, fast foods, and foods and beverages high in sugar is essential to curbing the obesity epidemic and reducing the burden of associated cancers.”

2. Obesity

Excess body weight is responsible for 7.6 per cent of all cancers, according to the report.

Among US adults, the rate of obesity during 2017 to 2020 was 41.9 per cent.

This is a 37 per cent increase from the year 2000, when the rate was 30.5 per cent.

“During this same time, severe obesity among US adults nearly doubled, with an increase from 4.7 per cent to 9.2 per cent,” the authors wrote.

“Globally, rates of obesity have doubled between 1990 and 2022, with 16 per cent of adults over the age of 18 who were obese in 2022.

“The increasing prevalence of other risk factors, including obesity among US children and adults, is a cause for public health concern.

“As with smoking, adults who are obese have an increased risk of many chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer.”

They added that weight loss interventions, such as surgery and medication, have been effective in reducing or eliminating the risk of cancers associated with obesity.

Though more research is needed, studies have shown that long-term use of drugs like Ozempic in patients with diabetes has cut their risk of bowel cancer in half compared to those on insulin.

3. Chemicals in the environment

The AACR report also highlighted the risk of being exposed to chemicals in the environment.

This might include pollutants found in the air, drinking water and food, “making them nearly impossible to avoid”.

However, some people experience higher levels of certain substances, such as arsenic, asbestos, radon, lead and radiation, due to their living conditions or jobs.

“Exposure to higher-than-acceptable levels of environmental carcinogens, without appropriate protection, can increase the risk of cancer,” the scientists said.

For example, they said radon – a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water – is responsible for 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year – with 2,900 in people who have never smoked.

“Those who live in urban areas, particularly those with low socioeconomic status, are exposed to higher levels of certain traffic-related air pollutants, which are associated with an increased risk of lung cancer,” they added.

4. Use of antibiotics

When was the last time you took antibiotics?

The report warns that taking the drugs, used to treat bacterial infections, for prolonged periods could increase your risk of cancer.

Research has shown that people under 50 taking antibiotics were 1.5 times more likely to develop bowel cancer than those over 50.

“While the mechanisms of this increase are not well understood, researchers believe that antibiotics disrupt the normal gut bacteria, called the microbiome, upsetting the careful balance that promotes a healthy digestive system,” the report said.

5. Alcohol

Most of us know that alcohol isn’t exactly good for us.

But the ACCR report warns it’s another of the potential reasons for a rise in cancer in young people.

Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to an increased risk of six types of cancer, including head and neck, liver and stomach, as well as more than 200 diseases.

In the US in 2019, 5.4 per cent of cancers were attributed to booze.

Other studies show that people who consume a high amount of alcohol in early adulthood increase their risk of being diagnosed with bowel cancer before the age of 50 by 150 per cent.

There is good news though. Research also indicates that those who reduce their alcohol intake or stop drinking altogether decrease their risk of developing booze-related cancers by eight per cent, and all cancers by four per cent compared to those who sustain or increase their consumption.

6. Sedentary behaviours

Finally, a sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of certain cancers, the report warns.

“For example, researchers found that a person’s risk of pancreatic cancer was increased in a proportionate manner for every hour spent watching television,” the authors wrote.

“The study further showed that the more an individual watched TV, the higher their BMI was, which partially explains why sedentary behaviour like watching television increases pancreatic cancer risk.”

Separate research found that when compared to those who did no physical activity, women reduce their risk of breast cancer by 18 per cent with occasional exercise, 31 per cent with moderate exercise, and 40 per cent with high levels of exercise.