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IOL News
30-04-2025
- Health
- IOL News
How childhood diet may lead to a rise in bowel cancer among young adults
The global incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer in individuals under the age of 50 has doubled in the past 20 years. Image: IOL Ron AI New evidence suggests that what we eat in childhood - particularly diets high in sugar and ultra-processed foods-may cause serious health issues decades later, including colorectal (bowel) cancer. Lifestyle choices, such as high intake of sugary drinks, alcohol, and processed foods, have already been linked to a rise in young-onset colorectal cancer. However, new research raises the possibility that early-life environmental and biological factors, including microbial activity in the gut, could be playing an even more influential role than previously thought. Scientists have shed new light on a bacterial toxin called colibactin that may further explain the rapid rise of this cancer in younger adults, especially those exposed early in life. According to a new report published in Nature, the global incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer - defined as occurring in individuals under the age of 50 - has doubled in the past 20 years. If this trend continues, bowel cancer is expected to become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in young adults within the next few years. An international research team analysed tissue samples from 981 patients across 11 countries, looking for cancer-driving mutations in the DNA. In over half of the early-onset cases, scientists found mutation patterns linked to colibactin, a toxin produced by certain strains of Escherichia coli (e. coli) in the gut. These mutations, often referred to as 'molecular scars,' point to early-life exposure as a potential cause. 'These mutation patterns are a kind of historical record in the genome, and they point to early-life exposure to colibactin as a driving force behind early-onset disease,' explains Professor Ludmil Alexandrov, a computational biologist at the University of California San Diego. Although the exact source of this early exposure remains unclear, researchers believe it most likely occurs within the first ten years of life, possibly through gut infections involving colibactin-producing bacteria. Once the toxin damages the DNA in the bowel, it can set in motion a process that leads to cancer years, or even decades, later. The study found that DNA mutations associated with colibactin were more than three times as common in patients diagnosed before the age of 40 compared to those diagnosed at 70 or older. Older adults were more likely to exhibit DNA changes linked to natural ageing rather than bacterial exposure. 'If someone acquires one of these driver mutations by the time they're 10 years old, they could be decades ahead of schedule for developing colorectal cancer - getting it at 40 instead of 60,' says Alexandrov. Scientists are also investigating how the risk factors for colorectal cancer may vary from country to country. 'There may be unknown causes specific to certain regions,' says Dr Marcos Díaz-Gay of Spain's National Cancer Research Center, that could lead to more targeted, localised prevention strategies. IOL Lifestyle Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump's Latest Health Care Claim Will Make Your Head Spin
Donald Trump seems to have bought into a health conspiracy that encourages Americans to live more like the Pennsylvania Dutch Amish. 'The autism stat—and you hear different numbers, but it's thousands. They say between 10 and 20 thousand,' Trump said Friday during a National Governors Association meeting at the White House. 'If you go back 15 years ago, we had, like, nobody. It was one in 20,000. Now we have one in 34 … kids have autism.' That is, however, not correct. In 2014, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that autism existed within the general population at a rate of one in 45. By 2023, the agency reported that the number for adults had remained the same, but that one in 36 children had the disorder. But the president's bold solution for skirting autism raised some eyebrows. 'The Pennsylvania Dutch, they don't do anything and they're amazingly healthy,' Trump said, offering the Pennsylvania ethnic group's lifestyle as a potential model to avoid the disorder. Trump could have gotten the idea from a conspiracy theory floating in right-wing spheres that claims Amish people have a longer life expectancy than regular people due to their unvaccinated status—which has already been thoroughly baked into autism conspiracies—and a steady diet of unprocessed milk. (Reminder that pasteurized milk, which has been roundly condemned by health conspiracists, is just milk that has been warmed up. The pasteurization process doesn't even reach a temperature that would boil the milk, but it does remove harmful bacteria such as salmonella, listeria, and e. coli that can collect on a cow's udder or remain in its milk by way of its living conditions and exposure to manure.) Despite being practically eradicated on the national stage thanks to vaccines, Ohio saw a sudden outbreak of measles in 2014. Nearly 400 cases of the highly contagious and potentially fatal disease were reported across nine counties, with 99 percent of those affected living in Amish communities, according to a retroactive study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The sudden surge in disease actually prompted roughly a third of the community—some 10,000 people—to receive the measles jab. Since their invention, vaccines have proven to be one of the greatest accomplishments of modern medicine. The medical shots are so effective at preventing illness that they have practically eradicated some of the worst diseases from our collective culture, from rabies to polio and smallpox—a fact that has possibly fooled some into believing that the viruses and their complications aren't a significant threat for the average, health-conscious individual. And the Amish don't experience decreased rates of autism due to their lifestyles, either. Several studies have found that rates of autism within the Amish community are comparable to that of the general population, while other studies have indicated that the reclusive community's cultural sensitivities around reporting may prevent autism from being identified early in Amish youth. Developments in medical and therapeutic research have expanded the criteria for autism, effectively increasing diagnoses and making the disorder seem more prevalent than it was in the past.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This diet trend could be 'catastrophic' for your health, GP warns
A doctor has slammed a TikTok influencer for his controversial diet – saying it could post significant health risks for others. Influencers like Cheshire-based fitness coach Coach Cam are advocating raw milk as a natural alternative to supermarket-bought pasteurised milk, claiming it can alleviate conditions such as eczema, hay fever and allergies. But experts warn raw milk can carry several harmful pathogens, meaning the trend could seriously harm your health. READ MORE: MoJ responds after reports Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was beaten up in Strangeways prison READ MORE: Major disruption to Manchester trains due to 'emergency' incident Coach Cam, who boasts over 300,000 followers on the popular platform, frequently posts videos of himself consuming raw, unpasteurised milk bought from a local farm. Despite his endorsements, medics say his content fails to mention the serious dangers associated with raw milk, including exposure to harmful bacteria, parasites and viruses. Dr. Masarat Jilani, a GP working with bladder care company Jude, has since issued a stern warning about the potential consequences of consuming raw milk. Dr. Jilani cautions against being misled by influencers promoting raw milk as a healthier alternative. "I cannot stress enough the potential dangers associated with consuming raw milk. Unpasteurised milk can harbour harmful bacteria, such as E. coli, which may cause life-threatening illnesses, including complications like acute kidney failure," she said. She also highlighted how certain groups could be particularly vulnerable to the trend. "These risks are significantly heightened for pregnant women, the elderly, children and those with compromised immune systems,' she added. 'The belief that raw milk is inherently healthier lacks scientific support and can lead to serious health consequences." According to health experts, raw milk can carry several harmful pathogens including bacteria's such as salmonella, e. coli and listeria, which can lead to severe diarrhoea, abdominal pain. In extreme cases, it can also lead to miscarriage or kidney failure. It can also carry parasites including cryptosporidium and toxoplasma gondii, which can cause severe gastrointestinal issues and damage to vital organs. Raw milk can also include a range of viruses including hepatitis A, linked to poor hygiene during milk handling, which can cause liver and gastrointestinal illnesses. "The reality is that raw milk poses a risk of illnesses, long-term health complications, and, in rare cases, death,' Dr. Jilani continued. 'Pasteurisation of milk is a critical step in protecting your health and the health of your family. Don't let misleading TikTok trends put your loved ones at risk of preventable harm."
