Prospect-UK is a national study recruiting 250,000 UK adults to log diet, lifestyle and environmental data online to investigate the rise in early-onset bowel cancer. A subset of participants will provide detailed diet diaries and biological samples, and data may be linked to electronic health records to identify long-term risk factors. Cancer Research UK estimates about 48,200 new bowel cancer cases yearly in the UK, including roughly 2,900 cases in people aged 25–49; obesity and highly processed foods are among suspected contributors.
Scientists Seek 250,000 Volunteers To Log Diets And Help Uncover Causes Of Rising Early-Onset Bowel Cancer
Around 60 per cent of the average UK adult's calorie intake comes from highly processed foods - xxwp/iStockphoto
Cancer researchers are launching Prospect-UK, a major new study that aims to recruit 250,000 adults across the United Kingdom to record their diets and lifestyles online. The study is designed to help scientists understand why rates of early-onset bowel cancer — cancers diagnosed in people under 50 — have risen sharply since 1990, with the UK among the countries showing some of the fastest increases.
What Prospect-UK Will Do
Teams from King’s College London and health‑science company Zoe will invite a broad cross-section of adults to complete questionnaires about their diet, lifestyle, environment and health. A smaller subset of participants will be asked to keep detailed diet diaries and to provide blood and stool samples for laboratory analysis.
Linking Diet To Long-Term Health Records
Volunteers will be asked to consent to researchers linking their questionnaire responses to electronic health records so scientists can track long-term outcomes and identify specific behaviours or exposures that are associated with later bowel cancer diagnoses.
“We urgently need large-scale, long-term data to uncover the true causes of early-onset bowel cancer,” said Prof Sarah Berry, chief investigator of the trial and Professor of Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London.
Why A Large Study Is Needed
Although early-onset bowel cancer is increasing, it remains relatively uncommon in people under 50, so very large participant numbers are needed to detect meaningful patterns and risk factors. Researchers will collect brand-level information about processed foods to distinguish between different products that can vary widely in ingredients, processing and nutritional content.
Key Statistics
Figures from Cancer Research UK indicate about 48,200 new bowel cancer cases in the UK each year, including roughly 2,900 in people aged 25–49. Public-health experts also point to rising obesity rates and the growing share of calories from highly processed foods — around 60% of the average UK adult’s caloric intake — as likely contributors under investigation.
Potential Impact
By combining detailed, brand-level dietary data, biological samples and long-term health records, Prospect-UK aims to identify actionable dietary and lifestyle factors that could help prevent early-onset bowel cancer. The findings could inform public-health guidance, screening strategies and future research into mechanisms linking diet and cancer risk.
If you are interested in taking part or learning more, the Prospect-UK team is inviting volunteers from across the UK to sign up and contribute to a study that could help protect future generations from this increasingly common disease.
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