Obesity and binge drinking driving up bowel cancer rates in young people in UK

Unhealthy lifestyles among younger people are contributing to cancer at an earlier age, a new study has warned as it called for earlier screening tests.

Obesity, alcohol and reduced physical activity are the main factors driving up bowel cancer cases among younger generations as lifestyle habits such as heavy drinking and less exercise worsened over the same period. The illness, usually diagnosed in people aged over 50, is now expected to affect younger people in the coming years.

The study death rates in women of all ages, which do not appear to be following the downward trend of many other cancers.