Young adults are faced with a higher risk of GI cancer due to the choice of diet, shows the reports

The rates of gastrointestinal cancer (GI) increase in young adults, with a new study evaluated by peers pointing towards the American diet and lifestyle as the main guilty.

The rise in risk in younger generations can be more linked to the environmental factors that genetics, said the report, which has recently been published in the British Journal of Surgery.

“Certain risk factors shared for IGO cancer at early include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking,” the main researcher Sara Char, MD, Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston told Fox News.

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The study notes that recent generations are more likely to adopt a “Western pattern regime” and a “sedentary lifestyle”.

Colorectal is the most common type of early gastrointestinal cancer, but pancreatic, esophageal, gastric, biliary, appendices and neuroendocrinians are also increasing in adults under 50, noted Char.

The report notes that recent generations are more likely to adopt a “Western pattern regime” and a sedentary lifestyle. (istock)

Adults born in 1990 have twice the risk of colon cancer and four times the risk of rectum cancer compared to those born in 1950, according to a previous study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

How the diet has an impact on risk

Paul Oberstein, MD, director of the Gastrointestinal medical oncology program at the Nyu Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center, told Fox News Digital that a person’s diet actually has an impact on the risk of colon cancer.

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“It is reported according to previous studies than when someone has a higher quantity of typical foods of a Western diet, it has a higher risk of colon cancer,” said Oberstein, who was not involved in research.

A “western diet” generally includes a higher contribution of red and transformed meats, transformed and added sugars, and highly transformed and refined grains, according to the oncologist.

Adults born in 1990 have twice as much risk of colon cancer and four times the risk of rectum cancer compared to those born in 1950. (istock)

Transformed charcuterie meats, sugary drinks and processed grain snacks are also generally associated with this type of diet.

Research and recommendations

While the incidence of colon cancer in this group remains generally low, Oberstein recommends investing in more research to explore which factors cause the increase.

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“We have to conduct more research on the question of whether diet, vitamin supplements, alcohol or other things that we ingest or use contribute to this increase,” he said.

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The expert has also stressed the importance of following the recommended guidelines for screening for the colon, which start at 45 for most people and seek medical care if symptoms appear.

“We have to conduct more research on the fact that diet, vitamin supplements, alcohol or other things that we ingest or use contribute to this increase,” said an oncologist. (istock)

Current warning signs include changes in intestinal habits, blood in stool, back or unexplained abdominal pain, or involuntary weight loss, all justifying to speak to a doctor for an “urgent evaluation”, according to Char.

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The researcher added that younger people can take preventive measures such as not smoking, avoid excessive alcohol, limit consumption of red meat, stay physically active and maintain healthy body weight.