Why Cancer Rates Are Rising in the Midwest
Nationally, cancer rates are broadly declining thanks to improved access to healthcare, lower rates of smoking, and the results of improved education. In the Midwest, cancer diagnoses are becoming more common. Agricultural states like Iowa, Nebraska, and others are watching as their populations face rising cancer rates that have outpaced the national average since the mid-2010s.
America’s Corn-Producing States Have a Cancer Problem
Six states with deep agricultural roots are watching cancer rates increase rapidly, even as the national average declines. Concentrated in America’s Corn Belt, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and Kansas, have a cancer incidence rate 5% higher than the rest of the nation, and the gap is widening steadily.
Researchers at The Washington Post used over two decades’ worth of data from the CDC and the National Cancer Institute to compare cancer rates from 1999 through 2022, carefully excluding the 2020 data, which was impacted by pandemic-era disruptions. Most of the cancer types are preventable by making lifestyle changes, although others are linked to environmental risk factors associated with chemical exposure from pesticides and fertilizers. Other specific factors include higher rates of binge drinking and UV exposure from working long hours outdoors.
Read More: Cancer Funding Cuts, By the Numbers
Nitrate Levels Cause Concern
Iowa’s cancer rates are rising faster than those of the other five states, with many experts pointing to elevated nitrate levels in the soil and water systems. Paired with some of the highest radon rates in the US, it’s little surprise that the state is experiencing higher incidences of lung and gastrointestinal cancers than other states. Pesticides and herbicides, many containing glyphosate (a primary ingredient in the now-banned Roundup product), also pose significant risks to all populations, even those well-removed from farmland. Research shows farmworkers face a 40% higher risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma compared to those who were never exposed to glyphosate-containing compounds.
Obesity, Drinking Also Take a Toll
Iowans are more likely to drink heavily or binge drink compared to the national average. The state also has a relatively high obesity rate, with 35% of the adult population meeting the medical definition of obese. Nationally, the obesity rate is approximately 40%. There are at least 13 types of cancer closely linked to obesity.
Less Cancer Is Committed to Prevention
Less Cancer is one of dozens of non-profit organizations monitoring the worrying numbers and heartbreaking stories coming out of America’s heartland. The environmental hazards of industrialized food production are having a devastating effect on local populations. Help us do our work by donating to our cause and supporting our grassroots team as they strive to provide solutions.
