Although rates of colon cancer have fallen significantly across the industrial world in recent decades, Spain has consistently defied this pattern. This has puzzled scientists who have taken to analyzing the reasons behind this situation.

In a study, published earlier this year in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, researchers from the University of Seville presented, for the first time, a map of the disease in Spain. They also demonstrated that its mortality went up between 1951 and 2000 for both men and women, although between 2000 and 2006 the number of deaths appeared to stabilize.

The scientists said they believe that certain lifestyle trends that set Spain apart from the rest of Europe may be to blame. For example, the per head consumption of cigarettes – the taxes on which are relatively low in most regions – increased between 1960 and 2006.

Moreover, Spain has one of the lowest average relative prices of alcohol in that part of Europe, and its consumption has been among the highest in the world.

“There is an urgent need in Spain to apply more decisive legislation and educational measures to counteract smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, consumption of red meat, sedentary lifestyles and the other factors analyzed,” said study author Luis Mar?a B?jar of the University of Seville.