To Your Health
August, 2017 (Vol. 11, Issue 08) |
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Teen Weight: A Big Risk for Colon Cancer
By Editorial Staff
Colorectal cancer affects an estimated 140,000 U.S. adults annually, but the vast majority of people aren't diagnosed until around age 50 and older. In fact, except for certain high-risk groups, colon cancer screening doesn't even begin until age 50.
But that doesn't mean the lifestyle and health habits that can lead to these (and other) cancers don't start much earlier.
Case in point: teenage weight may predict colorectal cancer risk, according to recent research. In the study, teens who were overweight at age 17 (as determined by health exams) were significantly more likely to suffer colon or rectal cancer as adults. Published in the journal Cancer, the study authors determined that colon cancer risk were increased in overweight and obese teens, while rectal cancer risk increased in obese teens only.
Your doctor can give you plenty of information regarding cancer prevention and effective ways to manage your weight, regardless of age. Those extra pounds may not matter now, but they could have major consequences later in life. Make the change starting today - your body will thank you for it.
