Meanwhile, some diseases are actually more likely to strike – and more likely to prove fatal – in a person’s younger years than in later life. Here, we explore five diseases you should keep an eye on, no matter your age.
Colorectal Cancer
A person born in 1990 has double the risk of developing early colon cancer, and quadruple the risk of developing early rectal cancer, compared with someone born in 1950, according to a landmark 2017 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
“Something in our lifestyle and environment is at play here,” explains Dr. Scott A Strong, chief of gastrointestinal surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He notes that while there is a genetic component to colorectal cancer risk – and one-fifth of Americans have a family history of the disease – genetics don’t change nearly that quickly. Controllable risk factors for colorectal cancer include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, inactivity and a diet high in red and processed meats.
Screening for colorectal cancer begins at age 50, unless a patient is at an increased risk of developing the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hence why it’s so important to know your risk factors and tell your doctor if you think you need to get screened sooner, Strong says.
Find out if any of your blood relatives have had colorectal cancer, and don’t dismiss any changes in bowel habits. Blood in your stool, abdominal pain and persistent constipation or diarrhea can all be symptoms of colorectal cancer, he says.
Diabetes
Sure, Type 1 diabetes, in which the pancreas does not produce insulin, is often referred to as “childhood diabetes.” But now Type 2 diabetes, in which the body becomes resistant to the hormone insulin, is showing up in young adults and even children, explains Dr. Anita D. Misra-Hebert, a physician at the Cleveland Clinic’s department of internal medicine.
Research published in JAMA shows that rates of Type 2 diabetes in youth ages 10 to 19 increased by an estimated 30.5 percent from 2001 to 2009. Meanwhile, diagnoses among adults ages 18 to 44 have steadily increased since the 1980s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lupus
“Women of childbearing age are at the greatest risk of developing lupus,” Misra- Hebert explains. Plus, it may be more severe in women. And while 2016 research shows that mortality rates are 67 percent higher in adult patients with systemic lupus, that number jumps to 300 percent for those who are younger than 40 years old.
A chronic inflammatory disease in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and cells, lupus can lead to complications in the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs and brain. Symptoms can be hard to identify, and largely depend on which tissues the immune system is affecting, she says.
Some common signs of the disease include extreme fatigue, painful or swollen joints, sensitivity to sun or light, and a butterfly shaped rash across the face, according to the Lupus Foundation of America.
Heart Disease
If you’re in your 20s, 30s or 40s, your risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke is likely higher than you’d suspect.
In fact, about 19 percent of American women who have heart attacks are younger than 65, according to the Women’s Heart Foundation. What’s more, 15 percent of ischemic strokes (the most common form of strokes, occurring due to atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup in the arteries feeding the brain) strike before 45, according to 2013 research published in Neurology.
“The major issue for this group is lifestyle habits,” Misra-Hebert says. For instance, the American Psychological Association recently found that millennials (people born between the early 1980s and 2000s) report suffering from more stress than any other generation. Meanwhile, being overweight, obese or suffering from prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes (all of which are on the rise in young adults) increases one’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Whatever your age, it’s important to have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked annually, she says. Work with your doctor to explore your options and figure out the best way to get your numbers in a healthy range ASAP.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Often confused with irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, autoimmune diseases that damage the intestine and can lead to complications including abscesses, obstructions and malnutrition, Strong says.
While no link between certain foods and IBD exists, medications can help control symptoms and reduce the risk of future complications. IBD is most commonly diagnosed in people between ages 15 and 25, according to the Chron’s and Colitis Foundation.
IBD also increases the risk of colon cancer, which is why patients generally undergo screening for colon cancer beginning eight to 10 years after diagnosis. Common symptoms are similar to those of colorectal cancer, including bloody stool, gastrointestinal distress and weight loss, but can also include irritations in the joints, skin or eyes. If you experience these symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor about them as well as your family history of IBD, Strong says.
Research published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology in 2015 shows that having a family history of IBD significantly increases the risk of developing the condition, especially among younger adults.
