Risk Factors for Colon Cancer

Highest risk factors:

• Being 50 or older.
  About 1 in 4 people age 50 or older has colon polyps (which can develop into cancer).

• Having a family history of colon cancer.
  Having a parent or sibling with colon cancer, colon polyps, or (possibly) other
  cancers raises your risk.

• Smoking.
  Smokers are much more likely than non-smokers to die of colon cancer.
  For free help to quit smoking, call 311 and ask for the Smokers Quitline.

Other risk factors:

• Not exercising.
  To lower your risk, get at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity,
  such as a brisk walk, at least 4 days every week.

• Being overweight.
  Extra weight also puts you at risk for diabetes, heart disease, strokes and
  other diseases, including colon and other cancers.

• Eating a poor diet.
  Eating a diet high in fat, sugar, and red meat, and low in whole grains, fruits, and
  vegetables, increase the risk of colon and other cancers.

• Having an African-American or Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish ancestry.
  Of all New Yorkers, African-American are both the least likely to get tested for colon
  cancer and the most likely to die of it.

• Having ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

  When you quit smoking, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet (including 5 servings
  of fruits or vegetables a day), and maintain a healthy weight, you lower your risk
  not just for colon cancer, but also for heart disease, stroke, and other cancers.