Slobby lifestyles and poor diets are reasons behind the increase
Bowel cancer rates in men have almost doubled since the 70s.
The reason for this is attributed to the slobby lifestyles and dodgy diets that they've undertaken.
Part of this has been blamed on the fact that they're living longer than 40 years ago, but they're new lifestyle choices are also impacting upon it.
Bowel cancers cases have risend from 11,800 in 1975 to 21,500 in 2008.
On the plus side, half of all patients now survive the disease for at least 10 years - double the number in the early 70s.
"There are many ways that people can cut their own risk," says Sara Hiom, director of health information at Cancer Research UK. "You can reduce your risk of bowel cancer by keeping a healthy weight, being physically active, eating a healthy diet that's high in fibre and low in red and processed meat, cutting down on alcohol and not smoking.
"It's also important to take up the opportunity to take part in bowel screening when invited."
For women, the lifetime risk of getting the disease has risen from one in 26 to one in 19. Wheras, men's chances have gone from one in 29 to one in 15.
Tagged in Health bowel cancer