Exogenous risk factors for colorectal cancer in people aged 50 years and older

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is a preventable disease caused by endogenous and external environmental factors. The study objective was to map the incidence of exogenous risk factors for colorectal cancer among the lay public in relation to age. The quantitative study was conducted by using the questionnaire “Colon Cancer”, which was supplemented by self-designed items. To process the obtained data, we used several mathematical and statistical methods found in STATISTICA and MS Excel. The sample consisted of 1715 respondents (males and females) from every region of Slovakia, including 1120 younger respondents (50–59 years old) and 595 older respondents (60 years and older). They had no cancerous diseases in their medical history; and they had no healthcare education. We found a high incidence of some exogenous risk factors for colorectal cancer: 60.36% of the younger respondents and 75.12% of the older respondents were overweight and suffered from obesity; 47.32% of the younger respondents and 41.18% of the older respondents ate large amounts of red meat; 76.52% of the younger respondents and 73.61% of the older respondents did not eat the recommended daily allowance of vegetables; and 47.77% of the younger respondents and 57.65% of the older respondents did not do adequate physical activity. We found that there was a statistically significant relationship between age and BMI, red meat consumption, physical activity, and smoking (p˂0.05). The frequency of consumption of vegetables and alcohol did not depend on the respondents’ age. There is a high incidence of exogenous risk factors for colorectal cancer in the Slovak population. We recommend implementing preventive strategies against colorectal cancer in individuals, communities, and society.