A risk factor is anything that affects your chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. Some risk factors, like smoking, can be changed. Others, like a person’s age or family history, can’t be changed.

But having a risk factor, or even many, does not mean that you will get the disease. And some people who get the disease may not have any known risk factors.

Researchers have found several risk factors that might increase a person’s chance of developing colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer risk factors you can change

Several lifestyle-related factors have been linked to colorectal cancer. In fact, the links between diet, weight, and exercise and colorectal cancer risk are some of the strongest for any type of cancer.

Being overweight or obese

If you are overweight or obese (very overweight), your risk of developing and dying from colorectal cancer is higher. Being overweight (especially having a larger waistline) raises the risk of colon cancer in both men and women, but the link seems to be stronger in men.

Physical inactivity

If you are not physically active, you have a greater chance of developing colorectal cancer. Being more active might help lower your risk.

Certain types of diets

A diet that is high in red meats (such as beef, pork, lamb, or liver) and processed meats (such as hot dogs and some luncheon meats) can raise your colorectal cancer risk.

Cooking meats at very high temperatures (frying, broiling, or grilling) creates chemicals that might raise your cancer risk, but it’s not clear how much this might increase your colorectal cancer risk.

Diets high in vegetables and fruits, and whole grain fibers have been linked with a lower risk of colorectal cancer, but fiber supplements have not been shown to help.

It’s not clear if other dietary components (for example, certain types of fats) affect colorectal cancer risk.

Smoking

People who have smoked for a long time are more likely than non-smokers to develop and die from colorectal cancer. Smoking is a well-known cause of lung cancer, but it is also linked to other cancers, like colorectal cancer. https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/guide-quitting-smoking.html

Heavy alcohol use

Colorectal cancer has been linked to heavy alcohol use. Limiting alcohol use to no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women could have many health benefits, including a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html