What are the Colon Cancer Risk Factors?
1. Age Age is the number one risk factor for colon cancer. By age 50, one in four people have polyps. 2. Alcohol While wine has shown a protective effect, other alcohol (primarily liquor) appears to increase the risk of colon cancer. Increased risk seems to be mainly associated with distilled spirits like gin, vodka, and bourbon. Colorectal cancer has been linked to the heavy use of alcohol. While some of this may be due to the effects of alcohol on folic acid in the body, it still would be wise to avoid heavy alcohol use. 3. Diabetes A study published in the journal Gastroenterology found that insulin dependency contributes to colon cancer development. In general, diabetics are up to 40% more likely to develop colon cancer than people who don’t have diabetes. They also tend to have a higher death rate after diagnosis. 4. Diet Diets high in fat and cholesterol (especially from animal sources) have been found to cause colon cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends choosing most of
