Key body measurement linked to 18% greater risk of bowel cancer – are you at risk?

WITH bowel cancer rates rising in younger adults around the world, experts are desperately searching for possible causes.

Risk factors like diet, alcohol and smoking could be explanations, say experts.

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Now, researchers have found being overweight as a child, teenager and young adult is linked to higher risk of bowel cancer in later life.

A higher birth weight was also associated with an increased chance of developing the disease, according to the new study.

Experts in the Netherlands reviewed 37 studies on body weight in early life and the risk of colorectal cancer - also known as bowel cancer - in adults.

Cancer is a complex disease which develops over several decades, so better understanding of its early origins is critical for more effective prevention efforts and understanding the research gaps

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The research, which is published in the International Journal of Cancer, found an increase in BMI of 5kg/m2 heightened the risk of bowel cancer by 12 per cent in people aged 18 to 25.

In youngsters aged 10 to 19, an increased BMI was linked to a 5-18 per cent risk of developing the disease, while in children aged two to nine, BMI was linked to a higher risk of colon cancer.

Meanwhile, each 1kg increase in birth weight was linked to a 9 per cent bowel cancer risk, the study found.

Dr Dieuwertje Kok, associate professor of nutrition and cancer at Wageningen University & Research, said: "Although the relationship between adult body size and colorectal cancer risk is well-documented, the potential influence of measures of body size during early life is less understood.

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"The team was excited to review results from 37 publications that explored birth weight, as well as body mass index across different early life stages.

"This study bridges the existing knowledge gap and enhances our understanding of how early life factors may affect colorectal cancer risk in adults."

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with almost 44,000 new diagnoses every year.

Dr Helen Croker, assistant director of research and policy at the World Cancer Research Fund, added: "Cancer is a complex disease which develops over several decades, so better understanding of its early origins is critical for more effective prevention efforts and understanding the research gaps.

"The results of this study show that raised body mass index across childhood through young adulthood is an important risk factor for colorectal cancer."

To help keep your child's BMI in check, focus on promoting a healthy, balanced lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet and regular physical activity.

Prioritise fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy (or dairy alternatives). 

Reduce or eliminate sweets, sugary cereals, and sugary drinks. 

And encourage at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily for school-aged children.