A new Moroccan study has found that frequent fast food consumption is strongly associated with an increased risk of early-onset colorectal cancer, particularly among individuals who eat it more than three times per week. DR ‹ › Before your next fast food order, new research from Morocco offers reason to pause. The recently published study has found a strong association between frequent fast food consumption and an increased risk of early-onset colorectal cancer (EO-CRC), defined as cancer diagnosed before the age of 50. The research, titled «Fast food consumption patterns in Moroccan adults and their association with the risk of early-onset colorectal cancer», was conducted by researchers from the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tangier at Abdelmalek Essaadi University and published in February in the journal Clinical Nutrition ESPEN. The incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer has been rising worldwide. In Morocco, this increase comes amid major dietary changes, with growing consumption of fast food and industrial products high in refined sugars, red and processed meats, and saturated fats, the study notes. Fast food three times a week To examine whether these eating habits are contributing to the rising cancer burden among younger adults, researchers carried out a matched case-control study involving 616 participants: 308 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 308 individuals without cancer. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The team then used statistical analysis to evaluate the link between fast food consumption and early-onset colorectal cancer risk. The average age of participants was about 55 years in both groups. Individuals under 50 represented 34.1% of cancer cases and 37% of controls. The colon was the most common tumor site, accounting for 57.8% of cases. The findings showed that frequent fast food consumption was significantly associated with a higher risk of early-onset colorectal cancer, particularly among those who ate it more than three times per week. In this group, the risk was markedly higher. Among younger participants, 59% of cancer patients reported consuming fast food, compared to only 0.9% of controls, a statistically significant difference (p 0.001). The study also identified other factors. Alcohol consumption was strongly linked to an increased risk. In contrast, higher socio-economic status, eating more than 200 grams of fruits and vegetables daily, and consuming legumes at least twice per week were associated with a protective effect. These findings suggest that traditional, plant-rich dietary patterns may help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
