Early-onset colorectal cancer has been rising at alarming rates over the past several years, with incidences nearly doubling in people under age 50 between 2011-2019 alone. While there’s much more to learn about the lifestyle, genetic, medical, and environmental factors that might be at play, studies have already provided us with the first few steps to mitigate disease risk. Today’s young adults don’t have the luxury of waiting decades for long-term epidemiological and clinical studies to gather more information. They need us to act now, using what we already do know, to kickstart an evidence-based prevention strategy.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), 42% of all cancer cases and 45% of all cancer deaths are linked with lifestyle factors such as diet. This is incredibly promising because it gives us a clear place to intervene. For colorectal cancer in particular there are an abundance of high-quality studies indicating which foods might increase risk and which foods might decrease risk.

Strong and consistent evidence links eating more whole grains with a lower risk of developing colorectal cancer. As such, eating more whole grains is one of the key lifestyle recommendations from the AICR to lower colorectal cancer risk, along with consuming less alcohol (fewer than 2 drinks daily), exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight, eating fewer than 18 ounces of red meat weekly, avoiding processed meats, eating more fruits, vegetables, and beans, and not smoking. 

In a 2017 report, the AICR and the World Cancer Research Fund found that about 3 servings of whole grain foods per day (90g) reduces the risk of colorectal cancer by 17%, and that the evidence for whole grains is actually stronger than the evidence for fiber alone. Whole grains are greater than the sum of their parts. The vitamin E, selenium, copper, zinc, lignans, phytoestrogens, and phenolic compounds found in whole grains are also thought to have plausible anti-carcinogenic properties. AICR’s Senior Nutrition Advisor and VP of Research gave an updated overview of these and related findings during a 2023 webinar.

Unfortunately, whole grains’ role in colorectal cancer prevention has yet to be fully leveraged at a global scale. In a new study, researchers used the Global Burden of Disease dataset to quantify how many colorectal cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life years could be attributed to low whole grain intake. They found that from 1990 to 2021, the number of colorectal cancer deaths attributable to low whole grain intake nearly doubled, from 101,813 to 186,257. This relationship was particularly strong in low sociodemographic regions, highlighting health inequities around the world.

Rather than letting fear and uncertainty keep us in a holding pattern, we invite you to act on the transformative body of cancer prevention research that exists. Eating one more serving of whole grains daily is a great place to start. Your digestive health depends on it! (Kelly)   

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