Why Each Generation is Getting Weaker: A Silent Health Crisis We Can’t Ignore

The other day at the supermarket, I paused. I looked at the shelves and the beautifully packaged foods in people’s shopping carts—crispy snacks, ready-to-eat meals, sugar-loaded drinks. That moment made me realize: I rarely buy these things anymore. And come to think of it, even kids today seem to be eating fewer of these “traditional” snacks. But that’s not necessarily a sign of healthier choices—it’s often replaced by fast food or ultra-processed convenience meals.

Just days later, I came across a post on social media talking about how colorectal cancer is now affecting people under 50. It was being described as “shocking” and “unexpected.” But to me, this trend isn’t surprising at all.

I’ve long believed that with every generation, our physical health is quietly but steadily declining. And the root of this deterioration isn’t just genetics or stress—it’s what we eat.

The Food Foundation of Our Health

Let’s take my father’s generation as an example. They grew up in poverty and hardship. But ironically, their bodies were strong. Why? Because they didn’t grow up with artificial or highly processed foods. From childhood to adulthood, they ate what was locally grown—real food. Even if they didn’t have the luxury of diverse nutrition, their diet was safe, whole, and unadulterated. That solid foundation was built not through wealth or supplements, but through food safety and simplicity.

My generation was somewhat in between. When I was a child, we still ate relatively healthy meals. But after I turned ten, the tide shifted—processed snacks, colorful candies, instant noodles, sugary drinks—they started creeping into our diets. Slowly but surely, we began absorbing the hidden costs of convenience and flavor enhancement. Our immune systems, our gut health, our overall resilience started to erode. We were already one step weaker than our parents.

The New Normal: Processed from the Very Beginning

Now, look at the children growing up today. Many of them are born to parents who rely heavily on takeout, frozen meals, and sugary beverages—not out of negligence, but often because of a fast-paced lifestyle. But this has real consequences.

If a mother regularly consumes fast food and ultra-processed products during pregnancy and breastfeeding, those toxins don’t just stay with her—they’re passed to the baby, through breast milk or even earlier in the womb. And if not breastfed, babies are often fed formula that may contain questionable additives. As soon as they can chew, they’re eating fries and nuggets, not steamed veggies or home-cooked rice.

By the time they’re in primary school, many kids can’t recognize the taste of a real tomato or a fresh cucumber. Their palates are conditioned to crave processed sauces, sweetened yogurt, and ultra-salty snacks. Their gut microbiome—the invisible ecosystem that forms the backbone of their immune and digestive health—never even had a chance to develop properly.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

The rise in early-onset colorectal cancer is not an isolated health trend—it’s a red flag. It’s telling us that our bodies are now reacting to decades of dietary neglect. The overconsumption of plastics, preservatives, artificial flavors, and additives is no longer just about “eating unhealthy.” It’s about deep, generational damage that begins at birth, and sometimes even before.

And this is what worries me the most: the children being born today are entering the world with an even more compromised starting point—especially if their parents have no awareness of the issue.

What Can We Do?

We can’t turn back time. But we can start asking better questions and making more conscious choices:

• What are we putting into our shopping baskets?
• Do our kids know what real food tastes like?
• Can we gradually reduce our reliance on packaged, processed meals?
• Are we teaching our children the value of fresh, whole foods?

The path to change doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Even small shifts—like replacing a packet snack with fruit, cooking one more meal at home each week, or learning to read food labels—can begin to reshape the future of our families’ health.

Because food isn’t just about fuel or taste. It’s the foundation upon which our immune system, our energy, our resilience—and ultimately, our future—is built.