There are some simple lifestyle habits which can help reduce your risk of developing a form of cancer which is hard to spot and is rising in prominence among young people.

A recent study from the Lancet into this kind of cancer which kills 17,000 people in the UK each year has indicated that it’s rising in England more than anywhere else in the world.

This is bowel cancer, which is becoming an increasing health issue among younger generations as the study found that there were more people getting early-onset cancer.

The study called for ‘intensified efforts to identify factors driving these trends’ as well as greater awareness ‘to help facilitate early detection’, since it can go without being spotted for a worryingly long time.

One of the easiest ways to reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer is through your diet.

What you eat can have a massive impact on your health, and the basic principles of a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables is always going to put you in good stead.

For bowel cancer, there are certain foods you’re best off avoiding or trying to eat less of when you can.

Bowel Cancer UK have said that ideally you wouldn’t eat more than 70g of red meat a day, and if you eat beyond that in a day then you should avoid it at another time to even things out.

They highlighted how you could be eating more than you expected without realising it, as a typical portion of spaghetti bolognese can contain about 140g of red meat, so you might want to try swapping out some of the mince for something else.

They said: “Research shows that eating processed meats is linked to an increase in the risk of developing bowel cancer. These are meats that have been preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives.

Cutting down on red meat in your diet could help reduce your risk of bowel cancer. (Getty Stock Photo)

“This includes bacon, ham, salami and sausages. It’s best to avoid eating processed meats as much as possible.”

Of course, this is just one aspect of a healthy lifestyle and even then it’s no guarantee that the cancer won’t develop.

The sad fact is that you can do everything right in terms of your lifestyle and still get it, it’s just that there are some things which you can do to really boost your chances of avoiding it.

While bowel cancer might be hard to spot, the NHS said that potential symptoms might be changes in your poo such as it becoming softer or you getting constipation.

Having blood in your poo is another bad sign, as is feeling like you need to go to the toilet even though you’ve just been.

Losing weight without a clear reason or feeling very tired and not knowing why is another cause for concern, if you’ve been having these symptoms for three weeks or more you should go and see a doctor.