WHAT DO YOU THINK? –
Nov. 30, 2025 – Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in U.S., according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). While this type of cancer has traditionally affected older adults, those rates have declined over the past several decades for people 65 and older and the rates in people under the age of 50 have risen. In fact, individuals who were born in the 1990s are two times as likely to develop colorectal cancer than people born in the 1950s, the American College of Surgeons says. As a result of this concerning trend, in 2018, the ACS lowered its recommended age to start screening for colorectal cancer from age 50 to age 45.
Researchers aren’t completely sure why this is happening, but a new study in JAMA Oncology sheds some light on a possible culprit—a diet high in ultra-processed foods (UPFs). By looking at data from more than 29,000 women, the study found those who ate a diet with the highest amount of ultra-processed foods had a 45% higher risk of developing adenomas (a type pre-cancerous polyp) compared to those women who consumed the lowest levels of UPFs.
