A group of researchers currently working to determine why young people are getting diagnosed with colon cancer at alarming rates wound up making some "profound" discoveries about our diets.
People who eat Western diets, characterized by high fat and sugar intake, have a greater risk of colorectal cancer and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), according to an international review of what people eat around the world.
The study, published in the journal Nature Reviews Microbiology, examined how what we consume impacts our gut microbiome – the community of microorganisms that live in our intestines – and how the shifting balance of its composition influences our overall health.
"Our review highlights the profound impact of different diets on the gut microbiome," lead author Prof. Catherine Stanton said in a statement. "This understanding is crucial for developing dietary recommendations that promote health and prevent disease. It’s fascinating to see how dietary choices can influence the balance of microorganisms in our gut and their metabolic functions."
The study compared six prevalent diets -- Mediterranean, high-fiber, plant-based, high-protein, ketogenic and Western -- and examined which can lead to a rise in gut bacteria linked to intestinal disorders.
The findings show that a Western diet full of processed foods, red meat, sugary beverages and high-fat products carries the biggest risk. By contrast, a Mediterranean diet high in fruits and vegetables has the lowest risk and is actually effective in managing conditions such as cardiovascular disease, IBD and type 2 diabetes.
The study suggests that healthcare professionals can develop targeted nutritional therapies to improve public health outcomes.
"This review is a significant milestone in microbiome research. It provides a detailed look at how dietary patterns shape the gut microbiome and underscores the potential for diet-based interventions in clinical practice. It provides tangible data on how the microbiome is intrinsically relevant to creating health benefits for society," said Prof. Paul Ross, Director of APC Microbiome Ireland.
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While some cancers have been declining in older adults, research shows cancer is occurring in more people at younger ages -- before they turn 50 and even earlier. One recent study found that all incidences of early-onset cancer "increased substantially" from 2010 to 2019. Breast cancer had the highest number of cases, while gastrointestinal cancers had the fastest-growing rates.
Not only is it occurring more often, but early-onset cancer -- diagnosed in adults between age 18 and 49 -- is usually more aggressive and less responsive to treatment.
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in men under 50 and the second leading cause of death of women in the same age group, right behind breast cancer. In early 2023, the organization reported that 20% of diagnoses in 2019 were in patients under age 55, which is about double the rate in 1995, and rates of advanced disease increased by about 3% annually in people younger than 50.
Researchers call the uptick in cases worrisome, noting that individuals in this age group are too young for recommended routine cancer screenings, so diagnosis can be delayed and the cancer could be at a more advanced stage, which can be harder to treat.
"There is often a delay between the onset of symptoms and the actual diagnostic procedure to find the cancer," Jeremy Kortmansky, a Yale Medicine medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers, said in a statement. "Some of that may be driven by patients who think, 'I'm only 40—it's probably not cancer, right?' Other times, a physician may think rectal bleeding in a young patient is just a sign of hemorrhoids, so it's important to advocate for yourself."
As for why younger people appear to be more vulnerable to cancer diagnoses, several risk factors are at play but none fully answer the question.
Some research suggests that the uptick is likely associated with "the increasing incidence of obesity as well as changes in environmental exposures, such as smoke and gasoline, sleep patterns, physical activity, microbiota, and transient exposure to carcinogenic compounds."
According to the American Cancer Society, almost 1 in 5 cancers is caused by excess body weight, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, and/or physical inactivity.
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