Rates of colorectal and other gastrointestinal cancers are rising in Americans under the age of 50, researchers said Tuesday.
They may know why. An increased risk of early-onset gastrointestinal cancers is associated with obesity, which is also rising in the U.S. That’s what scientists say is a “leading theory” for the surge - noting a 2019 study that found women who were considered obese had nearly double the risk of developing early-onset colorectal cancer. Close to half of all U.S. adults are predicted to be obese by 2030, according to research released the same year.
