A new study suggests an inactive lifestyle is a potential factor to help explain the rise in colorectal cancer among those under 50, a phenomenon that has puzzled physicians for some time.
Dr. Heather Yeo, a colorectal surgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine, previously explained to SurvivorNet that overall colon cancer rates have been decreasing steadily over the past few decades, largely due to better screening practices. In contrast, early-onset colon cancer rates have been steadily increasing, but specialists haven’t been clear on the cause of the increase. Yeo explains, “The only age group [colon cancer] has not been going down in is the age group under 50. [The rate in that] age group has increased at about 1.3% per year for 15-20 years. We don’t know exactly why it’s increasing.”
Read More Early-onset colon cancer is particularly troubling because it tends to be more aggressive than when the disease appears later in life. Risk factors such as smoking and obesity are important in the development of colon cancer under age 50, and up to a third of people that develop cancer at a younger age have a genetic condition that puts them at high risk. Unfortunately, these factors don't completely explain the increase in colon cancer occurrence in this age group, and experts such as Dr. Yeo think there may be other behavioral or environmental factors that are also contributing. One such factor may be an inactive lifestyle, as evidenced by the results of this most recent study. The study looked at sedentary, or inactive, behaviors in almost 90,000 American women ages 25-42. It found that more than one hour of daily TV viewing was associated with a 12% increase in the risk of colorectal cancer. Among those watching more than two hours per day, there was a striking 70 percent increase in risk. This link held true regardless of how much an individual exercised or there body mass index. It’s important not to read into the results of studies like this too much. The results do not mean that simply watching TV will cause colon cancer. In fact, the study does not even fully explain why early onset colon cancer is on the rise while overall colon cancer rates decline. The results simply add to the existing body of evidence that
eating healthy and living an active lifestyle can help prevent your risk of developing colon cancer, particularly at a young age. Don’t stop watching TV because you think it may prevent your risk of developing the disease. Just eat right and be active and you’ll be giving yourself the best shot at preventing colon cancer.
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