A rising cause of colon cancer that HALF of Americans don’t know about, revealed by shocking survey
Nearly half of American adults are unaware that processed meats have been strongly linked to colon cancer, a shocking poll has found.
Colorectal cancer is on the rise among young Americans, cementing its place as the leading cause of cancer death in people under 50.
Since the 1990s, colorectal cancer rates among adults under 50 have nearly doubled, with cases in the 20-to-39 age group climbing steadily by two percent each year.
A 2025 analysis shows that between 2000 and 2021, diagnoses jumped 4.3 percent annually among 15- to 34-year-olds and 1.5 percent annually among those age 35 to 54.
Scientists are still unraveling the drivers of the epidemic, but a top contender has emerged: processed meat.
Hot dogs, bacon, sausage and other processed meats have been shown to produce harmful compounds that feed and hijack normally healthy cells in the digestive tract. Processes used to preserve the meats are also believed to convert additives into known carcinogens.
Processed meats have become one of the largest talking points surrounding the rise of colorectal cancer in young people. But a new survey of over 2,000 adults found about half were unaware of the risk.
Additionally, the poll found that after being informed of the risk, two in three adults supported adding colorectal cancer warning labels to processed meat products.
James Van Der Beek died at 48 from colorectal cancer. Healthy and with no family history, he dismissed a bowel habit change as coffee. A colonoscopy revealed stage 3 cancer. He urged others not to ignore the signs
Dr Joseph Barrocas, survey researcher and internal medicine specialist in North Carolina, said: ‘In light of colorectal cancer now being the leading cause of cancer deaths in adults under 50, it’s concerning that so many people still don’t know about the strong connection between eating processed meat and the risk of developing colorectal cancer.’
He also notes, however, that the survey shows Americans want that information to lower their risk of cancer.
The findings come after the death of actor James Van Der Beek at age 48 from colon cancer. He was fit, healthy and had no family history of cancer when he noticed a subtle change in his bowel habits.
He initially dismissed it, attributing it to his morning coffee. But when symptoms persisted, he underwent a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in November 2024.
Despite treatment, the cancer was aggressive. Van Der Beek spent his final years urging others not to ignore the signs he almost missed.
The new survey, conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, polled 2,202 US adults between February 9 and 11, 2026.
It found 45 percent of survey participants did not know processed meats such as cold cuts, bacon and hot dogs raise colon cancer risk, and five percent were under the impression that the foods decreased the risk.
Processed meat such as bacon contains harmful metabolites that damage cells in the colon, research shows (stock image)
Bailey Hutchins of Tennessee, pictured, died of colon cancer at age 26
Additionally, 40 percent had not received information from a healthcare professional on the link between nutrition and colorectal cancer.
Adults making less than $50,000 per year and who had less education were less likely to know about the relationship between diet and colorectal cancer. Men were more likely to be informed, with 67 percent having information on dietary risk factors compared to 57 percent of women.
However, 64 percent of participants said they would support having warning labels added to processed meats after being informed of the risk, while nine percent opposed and 27 percent were neutral.
‘More health care practitioners have to be educated about the link between diet and colorectal cancer,’ Barrocas said, ‘and in addition to recommending screening, discuss with patients the protective benefits of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans.’
Anna Herby, a nutrition education specialist for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, emphasized the role of fiber, which adds bulk to stool and makes it easier to pass, preventing it from sitting in the colon for long periods of time and allowing bacteria and other dangerous contaminants to damage colon cells.
She said: ‘Research shows that for every 10 grams of fiber we eat each day, we can lower our colorectal cancer risk by up to 10 percent. Simple ways to get that in include eating a little over a cup of raspberries, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, or two-thirds cup of black beans.’
