Living in 2026: A Time of Health and Mystery

Generally speaking, living in 2026 comes with its perks. It really is a good time to be around.

Today, people enjoy better health than at any point in history. With factors like a longer life expectancy, fewer infectious diseases, and lower rates of chronic illness—when taking age into account—it’s hard to argue otherwise.

Cancer serves as a prime illustration here. Over the past few decades, cancer rates have been, well, stable or even declining. What’s striking is that the chances of dying from cancer, should you be diagnosed, have significantly decreased.

Many types of cancer that were once thought to be fatal only a couple of decades ago are now viewed more as chronic diseases, similar to diabetes or emphysema, thanks to advancements in treatment.

However, there’s a curious exception: colorectal cancer among younger individuals.

While rates of colorectal cancer, which encompasses both colon and rectal cancers, have overall decreased, there’s been a puzzling rise in cases among those under 50—considered relatively young for this type of cancer.

The number of young individuals actually being diagnosed remains low, so this uptick doesn’t substantially change the overall statistics. Yet it’s undoubtedly perplexing.

Colorectal cancer rates tend to be lower in older demographics, yet they’re rising in the younger crowd, and no one seems to know why. A variety of theories have emerged, though.

Some speculate that exposure to pesticides like picloram could be a link to increased colorectal cancer risk. But that raises some questions. For one, the usage of picloram and similar chemicals has declined since the 80s and 90s, making it hard to understand how they could specifically drive an increase among the younger population now. Additionally, older generations likely had more exposure to these substances in their diets, so that complicates matters further.

The same concerns apply to numerous environmental factors thought to contribute to cancer risk. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as ‘forever chemicals,’ have also been cited as potential risks, but again, older individuals might have faced more exposure historically.

Finding a potential cause that aligns with the increase in colorectal cancer among the young is challenging.

Another candidate for explanation is obesity. There’s a known connection between weight and colorectal cancer, and today’s younger population does exhibit higher obesity rates than in previous generations. Nevertheless, this alone doesn’t suffice as an explanation, given that older adults are increasingly obese as well. Moreover, research indicates that obesity might only account for about 15 percent of colorectal cancer occurrences.

The mystery thickens when considering global trends. Interestingly, some studies show stable or decreasing colorectal cancer rates among youth in at least half of the countries analyzed. A recent study reiterated similar findings, further complicating the narrative—why are colorectal cancer rates increasing in places like the UK and US while declining in countries like Italy and Lithuania?

Perhaps the most plausible explanation relates to screening practices. Although current recommendations for screening younger individuals have only recently been updated, the trend itself has been established since the 90s. It’s possible that increased testing has led to more diagnoses.

It’s also crucial to consider the method of data collection. Improvements in cancer registries could contribute to higher reported rates among younger people today due to better tracking.

Yet, these explanations can feel insufficient, especially regarding their differential impact on age groups.

There’s no denying the notable increase of colorectal cancer diagnoses in younger populations in some areas, but why remains somewhat elusive. Various theories appear unlikely, making it quite difficult to pinpoint the true cause.