A new study shows that millennials, or those born between 1980 and 1995, have four times the likelihood of developing tumors originating in the large intestine, than those born in the 1950s.
Young people also have double the risk of colon tumors. This increase of cancers is being blamed on poor diets that full of fast food and junk food, as well as a lack of exercise.
The irony is that bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, has traditionally been associated with the elderly, but the lifestyle of the millennials has led to this epidemic.
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A 2014 study predicted that bowel cancer would skyrocket by 90% in people aged 20 to 34 by the year 2030. 30% of people diagnosed with the disease in this country are younger than 55; this is double the number recorded in 1990.
Colorectal cancer encompasses malignancies in the rectum or colon. They typically start as polyps on an inner wall. Most of these are benign, but some can turn into cancer over time. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 135,000 new cases of the two diseases are expected to be diagnosed this year and around 50,000 people will die from the illness.
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Researchers from the Imperial College London illustrated how colorectal cancer is actually one of the most preventable types of cancer, with around 45% of cases believed to be preventable by following dietary recommendations like eating less meat, consuming high-fiber plant foods, exercising, and curbing alcohol consumption. Processed meat is particularly dangerous, increasing the risk by two times as much as red meat. It is further recommended to avoid all varieties of processed food.