The 48-year-old's diagnosis, which he revealed in 2024, is part of a concerning rise in colorectal cancer rates ― which groups together colon and rectal cancer because of their similarities ― in younger people throughout the world. A report by the American Cancer Society found that colorectal cancer diagnoses nearly doubled in people younger than 55 in recent years; it increased from 11% in 1995 to 20% in 2019.
"It is not like, that, night owls are doomed," said research fellow Sina Kianersi of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who led the study. "The challenge is the mismatch between your internal clock and typical daily schedules" that makes it harder to follow heart-healthy behaviors.And that's fixable, added Kianersi, who describes himself as "sort of a night owl" who feels a boost in "my analytical thinking" after about 7 or 8 at night.