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According to the American Cancer Society, this increase could be linked to changes in the environment and lifestyle, including:
- A more transformed and sugar-sweetened diet
- Growing sedentary behaviour
- Hormoneal changes related to obesity
- The possible influence of new chemicals in the environment
Researchers suspect that recent exposure to certain factors may be responsible for this rapid increase in cases.
A more industrial diet involved?
One of the most suspected factors is the evolution of the modern diet. Since the 1970s, our habits have changed dramatically:
- No more refined sugars, including high fructose maize syrup
- More processed and ultra-processed dishes
- Less fibre and essential nutrients
These changes led to increased obesity and metabolic disorders, two major risk factors for colorectal cancer.
This is because excess sugar and bad fats promote inflammation and growth of cancer cells.
Read more on the next page.
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